[Claim for Salary Retention]

An employee of the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) sought a GAO decision concerning his entitlement to salary retention. When the employee's position had been eliminated, he was offered an opportunity to relocate to a job at the same grade level. However, the employee accepted a lower-grade position which did not entail relocation. The employee claimed the retention of his original salary to which employees, who are subject to a grade reclassification as a result of a reduction in force, are entitled. However, a federal employee who is reduced in grade or pay at his own request acquires no such entitlements. After an IRS denial of his grade and pay retention was appealed and denied by GAO, the Merit Systems Protection Board, the U.S. Court of Claims, and the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit, this claim was again filed with GAO. Since the valid judgment of a court on a matter is a bar to subsequent action on the same matter before GAO, the claim was dismissed.