B-151256, MAY 8, 1963
Highlights
THE RECORD SHOWS THAT THE EMPLOYEE'S OFFICIAL DUTY STATION WAS CHANGED AND THAT HE WAS ADVISED BY THE SUPERVISOR AT THE FIELD LEVEL THAT HE WOULD HAVE TO BEAR THE TRAVEL AND TRANSPORTATION EXPENSES OF THE CHANGE. IT WAS ADMINISTRATIVELY DETERMINED THAT THE COSTS THEREOF SHOULD BE BORNE BY THE GOVERNMENT. TRAVEL AUTHORIZATION WAS ISSUED JANUARY 31. SINCE AT THE TIME THE EMPLOYEE MOVED HIS HOUSEHOLD EFFECTS IT WAS UNDERSTOOD BY HIM THAT HE WOULD HAVE TO PAY THE COST THEREOF. HE DID NOT HAVE THE GOODS WEIGHED. INVOLVING A COMPARABLE SITUATION WHEREIN WE MADE THE FOLLOWING STATEMENT: "IF IT IS FOUND BY YOUR AGENCY THAT WEIGHING FACILITIES WERE NOT AVAILABLE TO YOU OR WERE NOT USED BECAUSE THE INFORMATION ADMINISTRATIVELY FURNISHED YOU IN FACT MISLED YOU CONCERNING THE LIABILITY FOR THE TRANSPORTATION CHARGES.
B-151256, MAY 8, 1963
TO MISS LILY M. GREATHOUSE, AUTHORIZED CERTIFYING OFFICER, AGRICULTURAL MARKETING SERVICE:
YOUR LETTER OF APRIL 4, 1963, SUBMITTING A VOUCHER IN THE AMOUNT OF $228.30 REPRESENTING MILEAGE, 275 MILES AT 12 CENTS PER MILE, $33, AND THE COMMUTED RATE FOR TRANSPORTATION OF 2,870 POUNDS OF HOUSEHOLD GOODS AT $7.75 PER HUNDRED, $195.30, FROM WILTON, WISCONSIN, TO DULUTH, MINNESOTA, ASKS WHETHER UNDER THE FACTS AND CIRCUMSTANCES HEREINAFTER RELATED THE CLAIM FOR REIMBURSEMENT IN THE FOREGOING AMOUNT MAY BE ALLOWED.
THE RECORD SHOWS THAT THE EMPLOYEE'S OFFICIAL DUTY STATION WAS CHANGED AND THAT HE WAS ADVISED BY THE SUPERVISOR AT THE FIELD LEVEL THAT HE WOULD HAVE TO BEAR THE TRAVEL AND TRANSPORTATION EXPENSES OF THE CHANGE. RENTED A TRAILER AND COMPLETED HIS MOVE ON JANUARY 5, 1963. SUBSEQUENTLY, IT WAS ADMINISTRATIVELY DETERMINED THAT THE COSTS THEREOF SHOULD BE BORNE BY THE GOVERNMENT. TRAVEL AUTHORIZATION WAS ISSUED JANUARY 31, 1963, APPROVING THE CHANGE IN OFFICIAL DUTY STATION AND APPROVING MILEAGE AT 12 CENTS PER MILE AND TRANSPORTATION OF HIS IMMEDIATE FAMILY AND HOUSEHOLD EFFECTS.
SINCE AT THE TIME THE EMPLOYEE MOVED HIS HOUSEHOLD EFFECTS IT WAS UNDERSTOOD BY HIM THAT HE WOULD HAVE TO PAY THE COST THEREOF, HE DID NOT HAVE THE GOODS WEIGHED. IN VIEW OF THE SUBSEQUENT ADMINISTRATIVE APPROVAL OF THE TRANSFER AT GOVERNMENT EXPENSE THE EMPLOYEE HAS FURNISHED--- IT BEING IMPOSSIBLE TO FURNISH A WEIGHT CERTIFICATE UNDER THE CIRCUMSTANCES-- - A COPY OF THE RENTAL CONTRACT SHOWING THE AMOUNT PAID FOR THE RENTED TRAILER, AN ESTIMATE PREPARED BY THE ATLAS VAN LINES, INC., SHOWING THE NUMBER OF PIECES OF HIS HOUSEHOLD EFFECTS, THE CUBIC FOOTAGE OF EACH AND THE TOTAL THEREOF, AS WELL AS THE TOTAL WEIGHT AT 7 POUNDS PER CUBIC FOOT. YOU REFER TO OUR DECISION B 148627, MAY 11, 1962, INVOLVING A COMPARABLE SITUATION WHEREIN WE MADE THE FOLLOWING STATEMENT:
"IF IT IS FOUND BY YOUR AGENCY THAT WEIGHING FACILITIES WERE NOT AVAILABLE TO YOU OR WERE NOT USED BECAUSE THE INFORMATION ADMINISTRATIVELY FURNISHED YOU IN FACT MISLED YOU CONCERNING THE LIABILITY FOR THE TRANSPORTATION CHARGES, AN ITEMIZED LIST OF THE GOODS AND EFFECTS ACTUALLY SHIPPED TOGETHER WITH THE VOLUME OCCUPIED BY EACH--- BASED ON ACTUAL MEASUREMENTS OR ON A UNIFORM TABLE, PREFERABLY PREPARED BY A COMMERCIAL CARRIER--- MAY BE SUBMITTED FOR OUR OPINION WHETHER ALLOWANCE OF THE COMMUTED RATE UNDER EXECUTIVE ORDER NO. 9805 MAY BE AUTHORIZED.'
WE ARE OF THE OPINION THAT THE INFORMATION FURNISHED IN THIS CASE BY THE EMPLOYEE MEETS THE REQUIREMENTS PRESCRIBED BY OUR DECISION B 148627, MAY 11, 1962, THUS PROVIDING A BASIS FOR PAYMENT OF THE VOUCHER, IF IT IS OTHERWISE CORRECT. YOUR QUESTION IS ANSWERED ACCORDINGLY.