Accession Number:

AD1155055

Title:

Decision Matter of: Department of Defense - Authority to Impose Pecuniary Liability by Regulation

Descriptive Note:

[Technical Report, Other]

Corporate Author:

United States General Accounting Office

Personal Author(s):

Report Date:

2000-05-04

Pagination or Media Count:

7

Abstract:

In the absence of statutory authority, the Department of Defense DOD may not impose pecuniary liability on an employee, designated by a certifying officer as an accountable official pursuant to DOD regulation, for an erroneous payment resulting from the negligent performance of the employees duties. We are aware of no statutory authority that would permit such action. Any decision inconsistent herewith is overruled. He poses three questions 1 Is the person who approves the correctness of an individual employees T and A record pecuniarily liable for an overpayment made as a result of erroneous data contained in the record 2 Is the person who approves erroneous data in documents supporting a payment voucher. Pecuniarily liable for improper payments resulting from a certifying officers reliance on that approval and 3 Is the determination of liability affected by the fact that an automated system has processed the approved data without the source documents being available to the certifying officer

Descriptors:

• civilian personnel
• department of defense
• employment
• air force
• government employees
• governments
• law
• united states
• business administration
• supreme court
• accuracy
• congress
• contracts
• management personnel
• personnel management
• employee relations
• financial management

Subject Categories:

• Administration and Management
• Personnel Management and Labor Relations

Distribution Statement:

[A, Approved For Public Release]