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  (8)GAO’s reports and testimonies give Congress, federal agencies, and the public timely, fact-based, non-partisan information that can improve government operations and save taxpayers billions of dollars.Jump To:
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                    Most Recent Reports**1 - 20 of 768 Reports**
	
	

	
	  **Released on   Mar 5, 2024**
          Human Capital: Characteristics and Administration of the Federal Wage System
    GAO-24-106657
      Published:   Mar 5, 2024
. 
        Publicly Released:   Mar 5, 2024
.
    In this report, we review the administration of the Federal Wage System—the government's pay system for trade, craft, and labor hourly employees. And we examine characteristics of the system, such as which occupations and geographic areas are covered under it. The FWS was originally intended to set these employees' pay rates in line with local market rates. However, subsequent congressional actions have linked FWS pay...
      **Released on   Feb 6, 2024**
          Federal Hiring: USA Staffing System Supports Hiring Needs, but Actions Are Needed to Strengthen Training and Program Management
    GAO-24-105738
      Published:   Feb 6, 2024
. 
        Publicly Released:   Feb 6, 2024
.
    Many federal agencies use the Office of Personnel Management's USA Staffing system to assess job candidates and onboard new hires. OPM provides initial training and ongoing technical and cybersecurity support. Human capital professionals at several agencies told us they were satisfied with the system. Agencies give their staff agency-specific training and guidance. Some IRS and National Park Service system users expressed concern about the timing...
      **Released on   Jan 29, 2024**
          Federal Software Licenses: Agencies Need to Take Action to Achieve Additional Savings
    GAO-24-105717
      Published:   Jan 29, 2024
. 
        Publicly Released:   Jan 29, 2024
.
    Federal agencies buy thousands of software licenses annually. Across the 24 agencies we examined, 10 vendors accounted for the majority of the most widely used licenses. But it's unclear which products under those licenses are most widely used because of agencies' inconsistent and incomplete data. For example, multiple software products may be bundled into a single license with a vendor, and agencies may not have...
      **Released on   Jan 25, 2024**
          Paid Parental Leave: OPM Should Take Steps to Further Raise Awareness of the Program
    GAO-24-106654
      Published:   Jan 25, 2024
. 
        Publicly Released:   Jan 25, 2024
.
    Starting October 1, 2020, most federal civilian employees became eligible to take up to 12 weeks of paid parental leave for the arrival of a new child whether by birth, adoption, or foster care. The Office of Personnel Management's government-wide data showed that most federal employees were aware of the benefit, and the number of employees who took paid parental leave generally aligned with OPM's...
      **Released on   Jan 22, 2024**
          Federal Workforce: Actions Needed to Improve the Transfer of Personnel Security Clearances and Other Vetting Determinations
    GAO-24-105669
      Published:   Jan 22, 2024
. 
        Publicly Released:   Jan 22, 2024
.
    The government's security clearance and other "personnel vetting" processes help ensure that federal employees are trustworthy. Personnel vetting decisions are supposed to be reciprocal: if one agency clears an employee, that employee should be able to transfer to another agency without a new background check. But the Offices of Personnel Management and the Director of National Intelligence—who oversee the vetting processes—don't have good data on...
      **Released on   Dec 14, 2023**
          Artificial Intelligence: Actions Needed to Improve DOD's Workforce Management
    GAO-24-105645
      Published:   Dec 14, 2023
. 
        Publicly Released:   Dec 14, 2023
.
    The Department of Defense has invested billions of dollars to integrate artificial intelligence into its operations. This includes analyzing intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance data, and operating deadly autonomous weapon systems. We found, however, that DOD can't fully identify who is part of its AI workforce or which positions require personnel with AI skills. As a result, DOD can't effectively assess the state of its AI...
      **Released on   Dec 12, 2023**
          Artificial Intelligence: Agencies Have Begun Implementation but Need to Complete Key Requirements
    GAO-24-105980
      Published:   Dec 12, 2023
. 
        Publicly Released:   Dec 12, 2023
.
    Artificial intelligence is rapidly changing the world and could improve government operations. For example, federal agencies can use AI to analyze drone photos and large datasets. But safeguards are needed to manage AI risks. Federal law and guidance have several requirements for agencies implementing AI, but they haven't all been met. For example, there's no government-wide guidance on how agencies should acquire and use AI...
      **Released on   Sep 12, 2023**
          VA Equal Employment Opportunity: Increased Attention Needed to Improve Program Effectiveness
    GAO-23-105429
      Published:   Sep 12, 2023
. 
        Publicly Released:   Sep 12, 2023
.
    Federal law prohibits discrimination against federal employees on the basis of race, among other things. We reviewed the Department of Veterans Affairs' efforts to ensure equitable treatment of its employees. VA's workforce is diverse but there are disparities in pay and promotions for some racial, ethnic, and gender groups, and VA could better address discrimination. While VA tracks complaints of alleged racial discrimination, it hasn't...
      **Released on   Aug 17, 2023**
          Personnel Vetting: DOD Needs a Reliable Schedule and Cost Estimate for the National Background Investigation Services Program
    GAO-23-105670
      Published:   Aug 17, 2023
. 
        Publicly Released:   Aug 17, 2023
.
    Agencies rely on IT systems to screen job applicants and manage employee data from background checks and other vetting activities. This helps to minimize the risks of having untrustworthy people in sensitive federal positions. In 2015, a cybersecurity incident compromised this data in federal systems. The Department of Defense has since taken over responsibility for most federal personnel vetting and is developing a new IT...
      **Released on   May 23, 2023**
          Priority Open Recommendations: Office of Personnel Management
    GAO-23-106370
      Published:   May 16, 2023
. 
        Publicly Released:   May 23, 2023
.
    Each year, we make more than 1,000 recommendations to help the federal government save money, address issues on our High Risk List , and significantly improve government operations. This letter to the Office of Personnel Management (OPM) outlines 15 open recommendations that it should prioritize. For example, we recommended that OPM ensure that federal agencies have the guidance and technical assistance they need to effectively...
      **Released on   May 2, 2023**
          FEMA Disaster Workforce: Actions Needed to Improve Hiring Data and Address Staffing Gaps
    GAO-23-105663
      Published:   May 2, 2023
. 
        Publicly Released:   May 2, 2023
.
    Demand for Federal Emergency Management Agency help has increased with more frequent and complex disasters like hurricanes, wildfires, and the COVID-19 pandemic. FEMA is a key federal agency that helps respond to and recover from such disasters. But FEMA has had trouble building a workforce to meet these needs. It has fallen short of its yearly staffing target since 2019—and that gap continues to grow...
      **Released on   Apr 27, 2023**
          Personnel Practices: OPM Can Improve Oversight and Transparency of Agencies' Hiring of Political Appointees into Career Federal Positions
    GAO-23-105066
      Published:   Apr 27, 2023
. 
        Publicly Released:   Apr 27, 2023
.
    The Office of Personnel Management reviews federal agency requests to hire current or recent political appointees for permanent career positions. OPM approved 129 of 187 such requests from Mar. 2016-Jan. 2021. This process helps assure fair competition—free from political influence. But identifying which applicants are current or recent political appointees isn't always easy for agencies. A new law requires OPM to maintain a public website...
      **Released on   Feb 27, 2023**
          Federal Workforce: OPM Advances Efforts to Close Government-wide Skills Gaps but Needs a Plan to Improve Its Own Capacity
    GAO-23-105528
      Published:   Feb 27, 2023
. 
        Publicly Released:   Feb 27, 2023
.
    The federal government needs a highly skilled and specialized workforce to carry out many of its missions, including cybersecurity or acquisitions. Federal agencies look to the Office of Personnel Management for guidance on closing gaps in the skills and experience of their workforces. But OPM has similar gaps of its own that could prevent it from helping other agencies. OPM has taken steps to address...
      **Released on   Jan 9, 2023**
          Federal Employees Health Benefits Program: Additional Monitoring Mechanisms and Fraud Risk Assessment Needed to Better Ensure Member Eligibility
    GAO-23-105222
      Published:   Dec 9, 2022
. 
        Publicly Released:   Jan 9, 2023
.
    More than 8 million federal employees and their families receive health insurance benefits under the Federal Employees Health Benefits program. In 2021, the Office of Personnel Management began requiring some new program enrollees to verify that their family members are eligible. But OPM doesn't have a process to identify and remove ineligible family members who are already enrolled in the program. As a result, the...
      **Released on   Dec 15, 2022**
          Chief Data Officer Council: Progress in Strengthening Federal Evidence-Based Policymaking
    GAO-23-105514
      Published:   Dec 15, 2022
. 
        Publicly Released:   Dec 15, 2022
.
    In 2019, the government created the position of Chief Data Officer at each federal agency, along with a government-wide council made up of these and other officials. Since that time, the Chief Data Officer Council has worked to improve how the federal government collects and uses data, and agencies have built on these efforts. For example, the Council released a training development guide in June...
      **Released on   Sep 29, 2022**
          Cybersecurity Workforce: Actions Needed to Improve Cybercorps Scholarship for Service Program
    GAO-22-106146
      Published:   Sep 29, 2022
. 
        Publicly Released:   Sep 29, 2022
.
    The CyberCorps Scholarship for Service Program—managed by the National Science Foundation, Office of Personnel Management, and Department of Homeland Security—requires recipients to work in government jobs for a period of time after graduation. We found: NSF and OPM fully complied with 13 legal requirements for managing the program and partially complied with 6 NSF hasn't implemented a strategy to effectively manage risks and challenges, such...
          Cybersecurity Workforce: Actions Needed to Improve Cybercorps Scholarship for Service Program
    GAO-22-105187
      Published:   Sep 29, 2022
. 
        Publicly Released:   Sep 29, 2022
.
    The CyberCorps Scholarship for Service Program—managed by the National Science Foundation, Office of Personnel Management, and Department of Homeland Security—requires recipients to work in government jobs for a period of time after graduation. We found: NSF and OPM fully complied with 13 legal requirements for managing the program and partially complied with 6 NSF hasn't implemented a strategy to effectively manage risks and challenges, such...
      **Released on   Sep 22, 2022**
          Privacy: Dedicated Leadership Can Improve Programs and Address Challenges
    GAO-22-105065
      Published:   Sep 22, 2022
. 
        Publicly Released:   Sep 22, 2022
.
    Federal agencies that collect personally identifiable information—such as birthplaces and Social Security numbers—are required to establish programs to protect it. The 24 agencies we examined had designated a senior agency official for privacy, as required. However, these officials may have numerous other duties and may not bring a needed focus on privacy. They generally delegated many aspects of privacy programs to less-senior officials. We recommended...
      **Released on   Jul 5, 2022**
          Priority Open Recommendations: Office of Personnel Management
    GAO-22-105625
      Published:   Jun 28, 2022
. 
        Publicly Released:   Jul 5, 2022
.
    Each year, we make more than 1,000 recommendations to help improve the federal government. We alert department heads to where they can save the most money, address issues on our High Risk List , or significantly improve government operations. This report outlines our 15 priority open recommendations for the Office of Personnel Management as of June 2022. For example, some of our recommendations are to...
      **Released on   Jun 24, 2022**
          Priority Open Recommendations: Securities and Exchange Commission
    GAO-22-105604
      Published:   Jun 17, 2022
. 
        Publicly Released:   Jun 24, 2022
.
    Each year, we make more than 1,000 recommendations to help improve the federal government. We alert department heads to where they can save the most money, address issues on our High Risk List , or significantly improve government operations. This report outlines our 3 priority open recommendations for the Securities and Exchange Commission as of May 2022. For example, we recommended ways the SEC can...
    
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