European Stars And Stripes (Newspaper) - April 10, 1987, Darmstadt, Hesse                                The stars and stripes Burn victim Dies Ann Arbor Mich it Khz my Lowa u Morrau. To a � is soft so 4i to Vinla i t4 3 04 w  of w 4fl tip pwt or 9 aug Fehd it dowdy a Many Seuay. A Mooar to irn t Federal travellers must Swallow Exchange rate losses Gao says by William Bartma Washington Bureau Washington when Sec. Lind say Harrington was t reimbursed inc $81.01 he Jota in exchanging currency when the honduran Lempira took a nose dive the government decision held wanting for travellers on government business. As the general accounting office see sit since government travellers pocket the gain in favourable currency exchanges so should they take the loss when the Exchange rate tumbles. An individual who receives a trave Advance in . Dollars and who chooses to convert All or a portion of the Advance into a foreign currency is liable for any loss he incurs due to a currency devaluation the comptroller general said in a recent decision on the Harrington  the tame Token he is not responsible to account for any gain he May realize Ashe result of a favourable rate or sex  the Gao said that while it does not question the prudence of set. Harring ton s decision to Exchange his travel and Vance and additional funds prior to de parture from the ., the decision to Exchange funds of a particular amount Ata particular time was hit own the loss he incurred was a Conse Quence of the fact that he exchanged amounts in excess of the costs he actually incurred audit did not increase his actual travel expenditure the decision said _. Harrington received an 1805 Advance before reporting for temporary duty in Honduras in june 1983. The amount included 1405 for Auto rental. During an authorized Stop in Miami Harrington converted $937 the and Vance plus is 32 of his own Money into honduran Lempin at an Exchange Rale of 0.4025 to the Dollar. Harrington was unable to rent an automobile while in Honduras so he had to return the $405 to the government. But when he reconverted his Lem frat to Dol Lars he received Only 1325.99 for the s405, Ai the Exchange Range had dipped the Gao decision resulted from claim Harrington submitted for hit $81.01  service members May be reimbursed for miscellaneous expenses necessary to the successful performance of the assignment Harrington episode did not increase his actual expenditures for his travel to Honduras the decision said. -. V an exception to the general Exchange loss Rule accepted by the Gao was made in 1976. When a civilian employee asked to be reimbursed from losses incurred in the soviet Union where the government required official . Travellers to pay for hotel rooms with  that particular Case we allowed reimbursement for the Ion which occurred since the conversion require ments not Only resulted in an Exchange loss but increased the Cost of the accommodations the lao said. Some workers Given deferment option for taxes under . Retirement system  writer Heidelberg some Federal employees who Are no longer eligible for an individual retirement account deduction can choose a new tax deferment option under the Federal employee retirement system. The Thrift savings plan allows appropriated fund employees to make contributions from their Gross pay before calculating Federal and in most cases slate income taxes said Elizabeth Reid Ausa eur civilian personnel manage ment specialist. Ira deductions for employees Cov ered by the civil service retirement sys tem or the Federal employee retirement system Are being phased out under the tax Reform act of 1986. The phase out affects single person with adjusted Gross incomes of $23,000 or More and couple filing jointly who have adjusted incomes Over $40,000. The Ira deduction is eliminated at$35,000 for singles and $50,000 for Cou Ples. With before lax savings you pay cur rent income taxes Only on your salary minus the amount you have decided to save Reid said. Employees eligible for the current open season election which ends april 30, Are civil service retirement system employees hired before april 1, and in team employees who were converted tothe new retirement system Jan. 1, family members and overseas limited appointees such As to lift hires and former military personnel covered forthe first time under the new Federal retirement system Are not eligible to join the Thrift savings plan this open season Reid said. They win he eligible to elect the option during the january 1988 open season. Reid mid eligible employees should take their Thrift savings plan election immediately to obtain the maximum contribution. Employees May contribute a Maxi mum of 7.5 percent of their base pay per period until october when it will automatically be reduced to 5  she said. The 7.5 percent contribution allow them catch-up1 time to put the Maxi mum savings into the  interim civil service employees who were converted to the new system May contribute up to t s percent Reid said. I october that contribution will be reduced to 10 percent. In addition the government will match up to 8 percent of the interim employee s base pay and 5 percent thereafter. Teachers win dispute Over lunchroom duty  writer teachers in part of the military s Over seas school system have won a key Dis Pute Over lunchroom duty As a result of ruling by the Federal labor relations authority. The authority upheld a decision that directs the department of defense de Pendents schools to pay Mediterranean Region teachers for assigned lunchroom duty. The Case originally was brought on be half of the Naples High school faculty on sept. 9, 1985, by the Oversea federation of teachers which represents teachers in the Mediterranean Region. The Union filed a grievance after Prin Cipal John Hewitt assigned 48 teacher Sand four administrators to lunchroom duty on a rotating basis the Union charged breach of contract arguing its agreement with the Mediterranean Region provided teachers with duty free lunch period. Arbitrator Thomas Carey ruled i favor of the Union on March 28, 1986, but the school system appealed Carey ruling to the labor relations authority in Washington  authority s support of Carey s decision closed the appeals  Garvey a spokeswoman at the school systems Headquarters in Washington , had no comment on the derision. The scope of the ruling is limited since teachers in the Atlantic Germany an Pacific regions have no provision in their contract for duty free lunch times. However Ernie Lehmann executive director of the teachers Union believes the authority s ruling will Nave wider applications. This should put an end to the unrealistic demands on teachers by manage ment he said from his Verona Italy office. Teachers who work Long after school can expect some financial Relief which they Haven t bad in the  High school officials discontinued lunchroom duty for thai school teachers on March 7 but the faculty is entitled to Back pay for their lunchroom duty. You asked for it. You re going to get it classified advertising in the stars & stripes. Coupon & details in saturday s advertising insert. I 4