Adjustment of claims of postmasters and Armed Forces postal clerks

§ 2403. Adjustment of claims of postmasters and Armed Forces postal clerks (a) When the Postmaster General determines, after investigation, that any of the following losses has resulted without negligence of a postmaster, Armed Forces postal clerk, or assistant Armed Forces postal clerk, he may, subject to subsections (b)—(d) of this section, pay or credit the postmaster, Armed Forces postal clerk, or assistant Armed Forces postal clerk, the sum he ascertains to be the amount of— (1) the loss of funds or valuable papers from their official custody resulting from burglary, fire, or unavoidable casualty; 74 Stat. 604 (2) the loss of funds deposited in National or State banks; (3) the loss of funds remitted in accordance with instructions of the Department in the form of drafts or checks which have been returned unpaid or disallowed by reason of the closing of the bank issuing the drafts or checks; (4) a remittance of funds or accountable papers, made in compliance with instructions of the Department, which are lost, stolen or destroyed— (A) while in transit to a designated depository; or (B) after arrival at the depository, and before the depository has become responsible therefor; and (5) authorized sums of postage and other stamped stock or accountable paper lost while in transit by mail to or from— (A) postmasters or employees; or (B) the Department. (b) Claims of postmasters, Armed Forces postal clerks and assistant Armed Forces postal clerks outside the continental United States for losses occurring while the United States is at war may be presented within two years from the time the loss occurred. All other claims under this section must be presented within six months from the time when the loss occurred. (c) Claims in excess of $10,000 for losses covered by this section may not be paid or credited until an appropriation has been made therefor. (d) This section does not apply to claims for losses— (1) cognizable under sections 134–134h of title 5; (2) by Armed Forces postal clerks or assistant Armed Forces postal clerks for stamps, stamped envelopes, postal cards and other stamped paper supplied them by the Department of Defense and not by the Post Office Department, nor to funds received from the sale of the same.