[Disposition of Unpaid Compensation for Deceased DOE Employees]

The Department of Energy (DOE) requested a decision concerning the proper disposition of the unpaid compensation of two deceased employees. GAO held that the: (1) first employee's beneficiary designation was legally ineffective, since he failed to sign the beneficiary designation form; and (2) second employee's beneficiary designation was legally ineffective, since she failed to designate a beneficiary. Accordingly, both cases were remanded to DOE to distribute the unpaid compensation in accordance with 5 U.S.C. 5582(b).