Claim for Shipment of Household Goods

An employee of the National Security Agency (NSA) appealed a determination that he was indebted to the United States for costs of shipping household goods in excess of the maximum authorized weight. When the employee was transferred to Frankfurt, Germany, in June, 1972, his orders limited the shipment of household goods to 2,750 pounds in accordance with regulations in effect at that time. A change in regulations was made to remove the weight restriction in July, 1972, and the employee acquired the additional household goods with the intent that he could ship them home at Government expense without the 2,750-pound limitation. However, an amendment in February, 1973, reimposed the limitation. Since the employee's household goods were shipped back to the United States under travel orders of April 7, 1975, the employee was governed by the weight limitation in effect at that time. NSA, however, took action to avoid undue hardship on the employee by seeking and obtaining approval to authorize the shipment of an additional 500 pounds of his household goods. The Claims Division held that the employee was indebted for shipment of household goods in excess of the weight limitation in effect at the time of the shipment, but reduced the debt by giving credit for the cost of shipping 500 pounds of household goods. The action of the Claims Division was sustained.