Skip to main content

B-156719, SEP. 22, 1965

B-156719 Sep 22, 1965
Jump To:
Skip to Highlights

Highlights

THE EMPLOYEE WAS AUTHORIZED TO SHIP HIS HOUSEHOLD EFFECTS AND TO PERFORM TRAVEL WITH HIS WIFE AND TWO MINOR CHILDREN FROM OAK RIDGE. WAS ALSO AUTHORIZED. WERE THE SUBJECT OF OUR DECISION OF MAY 25. SINCE THE FACTS SURROUNDING THE TRAVEL WERE SET FORTH THEREIN THEY NEED NOT BE REPEATED HERE. THE AUTOMOBILE WAS SHIPPED ON A GOVERNMENT BILL OF LADING AT A COST OF $16.50 MORE THAN THE COST WOULD HAVE BEEN FROM JACKSONVILLE. THE PASSAGE FOR HIS FAMILY WAS OBTAINED BY USE OF A GOVERNMENT TRANSPORTATION REQUEST AT A COST OF $20 LESS THAN THAT FROM JACKSONVILLE. IN VIEW OF THE SAVINGS OF $20 TO THE GOVERNMENT IN THE TRAVEL EXPENSES OF HIS DEPENDENTS HE FEELS THAT HE IS ENTITLED TO A REFUND OF THE $16.50 EXCESS COST OF SHIPPING HIS AUTOMOBILE.

View Decision

B-156719, SEP. 22, 1965

TO MR. D. H. SHELTON, AUTHORIZED CERTIFYING OFFICER, FINANCE DIVISION, UNITED STATES ATOMIC ENERGY COMMISSION:

ON AUGUST 12, 1965, REFERENCE AFS:DHS, YOU REQUESTED OUR DECISION WHETHER YOU MAY CERTIFY FOR PAYMENT A VOUCHER IN THE SUM OF $16.50 IN FAVOR OF MR. R. DAVIDSON KELLER, JR., AN EMPLOYEE OF THE ATOMIC ENERGY COMMISSION, REPRESENTING EXCESS COST PAID BY HIM INCIDENT TO THE SHIPMENT OF HIS PRIVATELY-OWNED AUTOMOBILE.

BY CHANGE OF STATION ORDER DATED JULY 13, 1964, THE EMPLOYEE WAS AUTHORIZED TO SHIP HIS HOUSEHOLD EFFECTS AND TO PERFORM TRAVEL WITH HIS WIFE AND TWO MINOR CHILDREN FROM OAK RIDGE, TENNESSEE, TO SAN JUAN, PUERTO RICO, BEGINNING ON OR ABOUT AUGUST 30, 1964. TRANSPORTATION OF HIS PRIVATELY-OWNED AUTOMOBILE FROM JACKSONVILLE, FLORIDA, TO SAN JUAN, WAS ALSO AUTHORIZED.

QUESTIONS PERTAINING TO MILEAGE, PER DIEM, ETC., WERE THE SUBJECT OF OUR DECISION OF MAY 25, 1965, B-156719, AND SINCE THE FACTS SURROUNDING THE TRAVEL WERE SET FORTH THEREIN THEY NEED NOT BE REPEATED HERE. SO FAR AS PERTINENT TO THE PRESENT CLAIM THE EMPLOYEE WHILE TAKING ANNUAL LEAVE IN CONNECTION WITH THE CHANGE OF STATION DROVE HIS FAMILY FROM OAK RIDGE TO NEW YORK CITY, FROM WHICH POINT HE SHIPPED HIS AUTOMOBILE TO SAN JUAN. ALSO, HIS FAMILY TRAVELED BY COMMERCIAL AIR FROM NEW YORK TO SAN JUAN. THE AUTOMOBILE WAS SHIPPED ON A GOVERNMENT BILL OF LADING AT A COST OF $16.50 MORE THAN THE COST WOULD HAVE BEEN FROM JACKSONVILLE. HE HAS REIMBURSED THE GOVERNMENT FOR SUCH EXCESS COST. THE PASSAGE FOR HIS FAMILY WAS OBTAINED BY USE OF A GOVERNMENT TRANSPORTATION REQUEST AT A COST OF $20 LESS THAN THAT FROM JACKSONVILLE.

MR. KELLER RETURNED AT HIS OWN EXPENSE TO OAK RIDGE AND THENCE BY PRIVATE PLANE TO SAN JUAN VIA CLEARWATER, FLORIDA. HE HAS BEEN ALLOWED CONSTRUCTIVE MILEAGE FROM OAK RIDGE TO JACKSONVILLE, COMMERCIAL AIR FARE FROM JACKSONVILLE TO SAN JUAN AND PROPER PER DIEM INCIDENT TO HIS OFFICIAL TRAVEL. IN VIEW OF THE SAVINGS OF $20 TO THE GOVERNMENT IN THE TRAVEL EXPENSES OF HIS DEPENDENTS HE FEELS THAT HE IS ENTITLED TO A REFUND OF THE $16.50 EXCESS COST OF SHIPPING HIS AUTOMOBILE.

THE TRANSPORTATION OF THE AUTOMOBILES OF EMPLOYEES AND THE TRAVEL EXPENSES OF EMPLOYEES AND THEIR DEPENDENTS ARE GOVERNED BY DIFFERENT REGULATIONS AND GENERALLY FOR THE PURPOSES OF REIMBURSEMENT ARE CONSIDERED AS SEPARATE TRANSACTIONS. HOWEVER, SINCE THE SHIPMENT OF THE AUTOMOBILE IN THIS CASE OCCURRED ON OR ABOUT THE SAME TIME AS THE TRAVEL OF THE DEPENDENTS WE BELIEVE AN EXCEPTION TO THE GENERAL RULE IS WARRANTED. THEREFORE, IN THIS PARTICULAR CASE THE SAVING RESULTING FROM THE DEPENDENTS' TRAVEL MAY BE APPLIED TO THE INCREASED COST OF SHIPMENT OF THE AUTOMOBILE. THE VOUCHER, WHICH IS RETURNED HEREWITH, MAY BE CERTIFIED FOR PAYMENT IF OTHERWISE CORRECT.

GAO Contacts

Office of Public Affairs