November 10, 2009

In the Matter of the Petition by                                             

DAWN AMBER HOOD                                             

Farmersville, TX                               

 
P.S. Docket No. DCA 09-221

APPEARANCE FOR PETITIONER:         

Dawn Amber Hood

APPEARANCE FOR RESPONDENT:     

William S. Estep

Labor Relations Specialist

United States Postal Service

FINAL DECISION UNDER THE DEBT COLLECTION ACT OF 1982

A Notice of Docketing of Petition was issued on June 15, 2009, which required an Answer to be filed by Respondent, United States Postal Service, on or about June 30, 2009.  The Petition was based on a Notice of Involuntary Administrative Salary Offsets dated June 8, 2009, by which the Postal Service sought to offset $692.73 from Petitioner’s salary for a debt arising in January 2009 that the Postal Service alleged is owed by Petitioner.

On June 30, 2009, Respondent moved for an extension to file an Answer.  By Order dated July 8, 2009, Respondent’s time to file an Answer was extended until July 16, 2009.  Respondent did not file an Answer by the extension date.

On October 21, 2009, I issued an Order to Show Cause on Respondent’s failure to file a timely Answer, and ordered that an Answer be filed in this matter not later than October 30, 2009.  The records indicate that the Order was received by Respondent on October 26, 2009.  Again, Respondent failed to comply with this Order.

Accordingly, I find Respondent to be in default.

CONCLUSION

The Petition is allowed.  Respondent may not collect $692.73 from Petitioner’s pay.

James G. Gilbert

Chief Administrative Law Judge