Allowance of Higher Commuted Rate for Shipment of Household Goods

A civilian employee appealed the denial of his claim for full reimbursement of the transporation of his household goods incident to a permanent change of duty station. The employee was authorized shipment of the household goods and he subsequently submitted a claim based on the commuted rate which had been quoted to him. However, a change in the commuted rate had occurred before the shipment, but the lower rate had not been communicated to the employee or to the responsible officials at his old duty station. When the employee filed his claim, he was informed that the lower rate had been in effect at the time of the shipment, and he then submitted a claim for the difference. While it was unfortunate that the employee received erroneous advice concerning the reimbursement rate, GAO held that it did not furnish a basis for allowance of the claim at the higher rate no longer in effect. Accordingly, the previous disallowance of the claim was sustained.