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Request for Refund of Excess Weight Cost in Transportation of Household Goods

B-194441 Sep 18, 1979
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Highlights

An employee of the Federal Highway Administration (FHwA) appealed the disallowance of his claim for the refund of the excess cost of shipping his household goods incident to his transfer from San Jose, Costa Rica, to Washington, D.C. The record showed that, prior to leaving Costa Rica, the employee was informed by FHwA that the maximum allowable weight of household goods that may be transported or stored in connection with a permanent change of station is 11,000 net pounds. He was further advised that, as he had 1,920 pounds of household goods stored at government expense, he would be authorized to ship 9,080 pounds at government expense. Nevertheless, the employee shipped 9,726 pounds of household goods which together with the goods in storage resulted in a total weight of 11,646 pounds. Subsequently, FHwA advised the employee of his liability and obtained payment for the cost of shipping the excess 646 pounds. The employee then filed a claim for refund of this cost but the claim was disallowed by the Claims Division. In appealing the disallowance, the employee stated that he did not receive his travel orders setting forth the maximum weight limitation until the day before he left San Jose. GAO held that, since the 11,000 pound weight limitation is statutory, no government agency or employee has the authority to permit transportation in excess of the weight limitation. Therefore, regardless of the reasons for the shipment of the excessive weight of household goods, the law does not permit payment by the government of charges incurred incident to shipment of the excess weight. Accordingly, the disallowance of the employee's claim was sustained.

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