B-78445, AUGUST 23, 1948, 28 COMP. GEN. 113
Highlights
AUTHORIZING REIMBURSEMENT OF THE CHARGES INCURRED IN THE TEMPORARY STORAGE OF A TRANSFERRED EMPLOYEE'S HOUSEHOLD EFFECTS ARE APPLICABLE TO ALL EFFECTS OF AN EMPLOYEE THAT WERE IN USE AT HIS PRIOR PLACE OF RESIDENCE. ARE NOT RESTRICTED TO EFFECTS ACTUALLY USED IN THE EMPLOYEE'S NEW PLACE OF RESIDENCE. HAVE BEEN PRESENTED TO THE UNDERSIGNED AUTHORIZED CERTIFYING OFFICER FOR PAYMENT: BUREAU VOUCHER NO.: PAYEE AMOUNT 27858 . THERE IS FOR CONSIDERATION WHETHER I MAY PROPERLY CERTIFY PAYMENT OF THE AMOUNTS CLAIMED ON THE ATTACHED VOUCHERS SINCE THEY INCLUDE ITEMS OF EXPENSE WHICH MAY OR MAY NOT BE CONSTRUED AS PART OF THE "ACTUAL EXPENSES OF TEMPORARY STORAGE" UNDER THE PROVISIONS OF EXECUTIVE ORDER 9933.
B-78445, AUGUST 23, 1948, 28 COMP. GEN. 113
TEMPORARY STORAGE OF HOUSEHOLD EFFECTS THE PROVISIONS OF EXECUTIVE ORDER NO. 9933, AUTHORIZING REIMBURSEMENT OF THE CHARGES INCURRED IN THE TEMPORARY STORAGE OF A TRANSFERRED EMPLOYEE'S HOUSEHOLD EFFECTS ARE APPLICABLE TO ALL EFFECTS OF AN EMPLOYEE THAT WERE IN USE AT HIS PRIOR PLACE OF RESIDENCE, AND ARE NOT RESTRICTED TO EFFECTS ACTUALLY USED IN THE EMPLOYEE'S NEW PLACE OF RESIDENCE, AND, THEREFORE, TEMPORARY STORAGE CHARGES FOR THE ENTIRE 60-DAY ALLOWABLE STORAGE PERIOD MAY BE REIMBURSED TO AN EMPLOYEE EVEN THOUGH HE REMOVED A PORTION OF HIS EFFECTS FROM STORAGE PRIOR TO THE EXPIRATION OF THE 60-DAY PERIOD.
COMPTROLLER GENERAL WARREN TO VEDA A. GREENLEE, DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE, AUGUST 23, 1948:
THERE HAS BEEN CONSIDERED YOUR LETTER OF JULY 9, 1948, AS FOLLOWS:
THE TWO VOUCHERS DESCRIBED BELOW, REPRESENTING CLAIMS FOR TEMPORARY STORAGE AND RELATED EXPENSES UNDER THE PROVISIONS OF EXECUTIVE ORDER 9933, HAVE BEEN PRESENTED TO THE UNDERSIGNED AUTHORIZED CERTIFYING OFFICER FOR PAYMENT:
BUREAU VOUCHER NO.: PAYEE AMOUNT
27858 ---------------------- EMMA G. PENISTON ------- $48.30
28269 ---------------------- VERNON MYERS ----------- 71.54
EXECUTIVE ORDER 9933 PROVIDES, IN PART, AS FOLLOWS:
"COMMUTATION OF EXPENSES--- TEMPORARY STORAGE: IN LIEU OF THE PAYMENT OF ACTUAL EXPENSES OF TEMPORARY STORAGE OF HOUSEHOLD GOODS AND PERSONAL EFFECTS IN THE CASE OF TRANSFERS BETWEEN POINTS WITHIN THE CONTINENTAL UNITED STATES AND IN ADDITION TO ALLOWANCES UNDER SCHEDULE A, REIMBURSEMENT SHALL BE MADE TO THE EMPLOYEE AT THE COMMUTED RATE OF $1.60 PER HUNDRED POUNDS FOR THE FIRST 30 DAYS OF STORAGE OR FRACTION THEREOF: PROVIDED, HOWEVER, THAT THE AMOUNT OF THE REIMBURSEMENT SHALL NOT EXCEED THE AMOUNT ACTUALLY PAID BY THE EMPLOYEE FOR THE STORAGE IN QUESTION. ANY CLAIM FOR REIMBURSEMENT FOR TEMPORARY STORAGE SHALL BE SUPPORTED BY THE ORIGINAL OR CERTIFIED COPY OF THE RECEIPTED WAREHOUSE BILL.' ( ITALICS SUPPLIED).
THERE IS FOR CONSIDERATION WHETHER I MAY PROPERLY CERTIFY PAYMENT OF THE AMOUNTS CLAIMED ON THE ATTACHED VOUCHERS SINCE THEY INCLUDE ITEMS OF EXPENSE WHICH MAY OR MAY NOT BE CONSTRUED AS PART OF THE "ACTUAL EXPENSES OF TEMPORARY STORAGE" UNDER THE PROVISIONS OF EXECUTIVE ORDER 9933.
THE VOUCHER SUBMITTED BY MRS. PENISTON INCLUDES A CHARGE OF$20.70, IDENTIFIED AS "WAREHOUSE LABOR HANDLING CHARGE; " MR. MYERS' VOUCHER INCLUDES CHARGES FOR "CHECKING INTO STORAGE AT WAREHOUSE $9.45," "CHECKING OUT OF STORAGE $4.72," AND "DRAYAGE FROM STORAGE TO 3406 MILITARY ROAD $47.92," INASMUCH AS SIMILAR ITEMS WILL NO DOUBT BE INCLUDED IN A NUMBER OF CLAIMS FOR REIMBURSEMENT OF TEMPORARY STORAGE EXPENSES, YOUR DECISION AS TO THE PROPRIETY OF PAYMENT OF SUCH CHARGES IS RESPECTFULLY REQUESTED.
A FURTHER QUESTION ARISES IN CONNECTION WITH MRS. PENISTON'S VOUCHER. TEMPORARY STORAGE IS CLAIMED FOR THE MAXIMUM PERIOD OF SIXTY DAYS FROM MARCH 26, 1948, TO MAY 26, 1948, WHEREAS THE FACT IS THAT A PART OF THE GOODS WAS REMOVED FROM STORAGE ON APRIL 10, WHEN NEW LIVING QUARTERS WERE OCCUPIED IN KANSAS CITY. THE RESIDENCE THERE IS MUCH SMALLER THAN THE ONE OCCUPIED IN MILWAUKEE, AND THE BALANCE OF THE HOUSEHOLD GOODS WAS NECESSARILY LEFT IN THE WAREHOUSE UNTIL LARGER ACCOMMODATIONS CAN BE SECURED. IN THIS INSTANCE WOULD THE FULL SIXTY DAYS' TEMPORARY STORAGE BE ALLOWABLE, OR WOULD THE PERIOD OF TEMPORARY STORAGE END AT THE TIME THE GOODS NECESSARY FOR USE IN THE NEW RESIDENCE WERE REMOVED FROM STORAGE?
THE EXPENSES NECESSARILY INCIDENT TO THE TEMPORARY STORAGE OF HOUSEHOLD GOODS SUCH AS THE ITEMS INVOLVED IN THE VOUCHERS UNDER CONSIDERATION HAVE BEEN HELD TO BE PROPERLY FOR INCLUSION IN THE EXPENSES OF TEMPORARY STORAGE PAYABLE UNDER EXECUTIVE ORDER 9933. B 76210, JULY 1, 1948; B- 75797, JUNE 15, 1948, 27 COMP. GEN. 753; B 76317, JULY 23, 1948; AND B- 76079, JULY 23, 1948, 28 COMP. GEN. 41. SEE ALSO 27 COMP. GEN. 91.
I DO NOT FIND ANY REQUIREMENT IN EXECUTIVE ORDER 9933 THAT THE TEMPORARY STORAGE CHARGES SHALL BE RESTRICTED TO HOUSEHOLD EFFECTS ACTUALLY USED IN THE EMPLOYEE'S NEW PLACE OF RESIDENCE IF, IN FACT, THEY WERE IN USE AT HIS PRIOR PLACE OF RESIDENCE. ACCORDINGLY, THE TOTAL TEMPORARY STORAGE CHARGES FOR THE ENTIRE 60 DAYS ARE REIMBURSABLE NOTWITHSTANDING THAT A PORTION OF THE GOODS WERE REMOVED FROM STORAGE PRIOR TO THE EXPIRATION OF THE 60-DAY PERIOD.
THE VOUCHERS ARE RETURNED HEREWITH AND, IN THE ABSENCE OF OTHER OBJECTION, MAY BE CERTIFIED FOR PAYMENT.