[Comments on Labor's Use of Appropriated Funds for Employees' Union Dues]

GAO commented on whether the Department of Labor (DOL) may use appropriated funds to pay for employees' union dues. GAO held that where union dues were not collected by DOL due to an administrative error, DOL may use appropriated funds to reimburse the union. However, since the payment of union dues is a personal obligation of the employees, after reimbursing the union the agency must seek to recover the amount of the dues from the employees or exercise its power to waive collection from the employees. If an employee has records which, if reviewed, would indicate an overpayment, and the employee fails to review such documents for accuracy or otherwise fails to take corrective action, then the employee is not without fault and waiver will be denied.