B-226914: Sep 9, 1988

CIVILIAN PERSONNEL - Compensation - Personnel death - Balances - Payees DIGEST: The disposition of the unpaid compensation of a deceased federal civilian employee is governed by the order of precedence in 5 U.S.C. Where a claimant has sufficiently established that she had a common-law marriage with the employee and thus was his widow. (Deceased) - Claims for Unpaid Compensation: This decision is i...

B-226914: Sep 9, 1988

An individual appealed the denial of her claim for a deceased Navy employee's unpaid compensation, contending that she was the deceased's common-law wife. The claimant presented 10 persons' statements that she cohabitated with the deceased until his death. GAO held that: (1) the claimant clearly showed that she met the requisite criteria to qualify as a widow; and (2) since the deceased did not de...