Request for Relief

An attorney requested relief of a charge against an employee for the loss of $1,000 which was attributed to her failure to count all of the money she received on the day the loss occurred. GAO has no authority to grant relief to an accountable officer, no matter how meritorious the officer's case may be, unless the head of the employing agency first requests relief on the officer's behalf and makes a determination that the loss was not attributable to negligence or deficiency on the part of the officer. Since the employing agency determined that the loss did occur due to the employee's negligence, the Attorney General is required to order a suit to be brought against her for the balance due the United States and she will then have an opportunity for judicial review of the agency determination.