Reimbursement of Fees for Disconnecting and Connecting Appliances and Equipment

The question was addressed of whether a transferred employee should be reimbursed the actual costs of disassembling and reinstalling a "ham" operator's shortwave radio antenna and hooking up a dishwasher and icemaker incident to a permanent change of duty station. The employee claimed miscellaneous expenses in connection with the transfer. The miscellaneous expenses were $135 to take down a ham radio antenna, $420.28 to reinstall the ham radio antenna, and $47.50 to install a dishwasher and icemaker. The employing agency reviewed the claimed miscellaneous expenses and determined that the expenses for the antenna were not reimbursable. Rather than consider the other claimed expenses, the agency gave the claimant a $200 allowance for miscellaneous expenses. The claimant filed a reclaim voucher seeking the disallowed $402.78. The claimant contended that the use of the radio equipment is widespread in households in the United States and therefore, the costs associated with disconnecting and connecting the equipment should be reimbursed. GAO was cognizant of the fact that the agency determined the expenses of the antenna unreimbursable because they were not common to living quarters nor inherent in relocation of residence and they involved structural changes. GAO believed, however, that the agency standard for assessing commonness to living quarters was too strict. In prior decisions, GAO held swimming pools to constitute items of equipment for which miscellaneous expenses may be reimbursed, and GAO considered ham radio equipment to be of a similar nature in terms of its incidence within ordinary households. Futhermore, GAO previously allowed reimburement of the expense of hooking up an antenna. Accordingly, the claimant was entitled to receive miscellaneous expenses for taking down the antenna and reinstalling it.