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                    Most Recent Reports**1 - 20 of 4889 Reports**
	
	

	
	  **Released on   Mar 25, 2024**
          Clinical Research: FDA Should Evaluate Its Efforts to Recruit and Retain Its Inspection Workforce
    GAO-24-106383
      Published:   Feb 22, 2024
. 
        Publicly Released:   Mar 25, 2024
.
    The FDA oversees clinical trials and other research involving human subjects, mostly for drugs trying to get FDA approval. This includes conducting inspections in hospitals and other healthcare settings in the U.S. and abroad. Recruiting and retaining investigators for these inspections has been a challenge—partly due to low compensation and heavy travel. This has resulted in fewer inspections and a less experienced workforce. FDA has...
      **Released on   Mar 14, 2024**
          Central America: USAID Should Strengthen Staffing and Fraud Risk Management for Initiative Addressing Migration to the U.S.
    GAO-24-106232
      Published:   Mar 14, 2024
. 
        Publicly Released:   Mar 14, 2024
.
    In 2021, USAID announced Centroamérica Local, a 5-year, $300 million initiative that is empowering local organizations in El Salvador, Guatemala, and Honduras to address the root causes of migration to the U.S.—such as poverty, corruption, and violence. Our review of the initiative found: USAID's offices in the 3 countries asked for more staff but haven't yet gotten what they need USAID has taken steps to...
      **Released on   Mar 6, 2024**
          Coast Guard: Action Needed to Evaluate Efforts to Address Sexual Assault and Harassment
    GAO-24-107388
      Published:   Mar 6, 2024
. 
        Publicly Released:   Mar 6, 2024
.
    Investigations and reports have shown sexual assault and harassment to be persistent problems in the Coast Guard for decades. We testified that the Coast Guard has taken action on this over time—including reviewing its policies, practices, and culture, and reporting on areas that could be improved. In November 2023, the agency started work on new efforts to address these issues. For example, it is updating...
      **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   Mar 4, 2024**
          Special Operations Forces: Documented Policies and Workforce Planning Needed to Strengthen Civilian Oversight
    GAO-24-106372
      Published:   Mar 4, 2024
. 
        Publicly Released:   Mar 4, 2024
.
    The Office of the Assistant Secretary of Defense for Special Operations and Low-Intensity Conflict provides civilian oversight of U.S. special operations forces. However, we found that the office doesn't have enough staff to effectively oversee these forces. It had 56 staff members as of September 2023. The office had finalized a staffing plan to reach 69 employees by early 2024, but it has said that...
      **Released on   Feb 14, 2024**
          DHS Employee Misconduct: Actions Needed to Better Assess Differences in Supervisor and Non-Supervisor Discipline
    GAO-24-105820
      Published:   Feb 14, 2024
. 
        Publicly Released:   Feb 14, 2024
.
    We examined equity for supervisors and non-supervisors in the Department of Homeland Security's employee disciplinary processes. At the DHS agencies we reviewed, supervisors were less likely to be disciplined than non-supervisors for alleged misconduct. DHS officials said this could be because more allegations brought against supervisors either don't rise to the level of misconduct or can't be substantiated in investigations. But DHS doesn't require its...
      **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 25, 2024**
          2023 Tax Filing: IRS Improved Customer Service, but Could Further Improve Processing and Evaluate Expedited Hiring
    GAO-24-106581
      Published:   Jan 25, 2024
. 
        Publicly Released:   Jan 25, 2024
.
    IRS has previously had challenges processing tax returns on time and meeting taxpayer needs. But in 2023, IRS's service showed improvement. Tax filers experienced faster processing times, shorter wait times for phone service, and more in-person options for getting tax help. However, the agency fell short of some of its goals for processing tax returns on time. Also, IRS was able to use a faster...
      **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   Jan 18, 2024**
          Federal Telework: Interior Can Benefit from Strategic Workforce Planning and Following Key Practices
    GAO-24-107162
      Published:   Jan 18, 2024
. 
        Publicly Released:   Jan 18, 2024
.
    The pandemic abruptly changed how and where people work—and federal agencies, like other employers, are now figuring out what a "new normal" might be. In this testimony, we discussed our prior reports on telework, some recent federal policies, and specific considerations for the Department of the Interior. Even before the pandemic, federal agencies were encouraged to use telework to meet mission needs and realize other...
      **Released on   Jan 16, 2024**
          Public Health Preparedness: HHS Emergency Agency Needs to Strengthen Workforce Planning
    GAO-24-106108
      Published:   Jan 16, 2024
. 
        Publicly Released:   Jan 16, 2024
.
    The Administration for Strategic Preparedness and Response (ASPR)'s workforce planning problems are ongoing. These issues were part of the reason why we added the Department of Health and Human Services' leadership in public health emergencies to our High Risk list in 2022. In this report, we recommend ways for ASPR to address the problems and improve emergency response, such as: Setting specific goals and performance...
      **Released on   Dec 15, 2023**
          U.S. Postal Service: Opportunities Exist to Strengthen Workforce Diversity Efforts
    GAO-24-105732
      Published:   Dec 15, 2023
. 
        Publicly Released:   Dec 15, 2023
.
    The U.S. Postal Service's workforce has become more diverse in recent years, but it's had challenges ensuring its leadership reflects the diversity of its workers. White employees are still more likely to be promoted to some management positions than non-White employees. And managers from historically disadvantaged groups are generally paid less than their White counterparts. USPS's executives have made commitments to supporting diversity, and USPS...
      **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**
          Work Arrangements: Improved Collaboration Could Enhance Labor Force Data
    GAO-24-105651
      Published:   Dec 12, 2023
. 
        Publicly Released:   Dec 12, 2023
.
    Millions of U.S. workers are in nonstandard and contract work arrangements—that is, work that is not permanent, year-round, and full-time employment with predictable hours. Policymakers want to understand such work arrangements and how workers fare in terms of wages, benefits, and workplace safety. However, federal agencies define and measure these arrangements in various ways, so it's hard to know their prevalence and outcomes. We recommended...
      **Released on   Dec 5, 2023**
          Veterans Health Administration: Actions Needed to Address Persistent Control Weaknesses and Related Risks in Employee Screening Processes
    GAO-24-107188
      Published:   Dec 6, 2023
. 
        Publicly Released:   Dec 5, 2023
.
    This testimony discusses our prior work reviewing the Veterans Health Administration's employee screening processes. The Drug Enforcement Administration requires VHA medical centers to get a waiver before employing anyone with a controlled substance-related felony conviction whose job gives them access to such substances. But VHA doesn't have a policy to help it determine when to request such a waiver—so its screening process might miss individuals...
          Quantum Technologies: Defense Laboratories Should Take Steps to Improve Workforce Planning
    GAO-24-106284
      Published:   Dec 5, 2023
. 
        Publicly Released:   Dec 5, 2023
.
    Quantum technologies build on quantum physics to process and communicate information in ways that existing technologies can't. Nations leading quantum research and development may have an edge in cryptography and computing—which are critical to national security. DOD has created multiple pathways to recruit highly specialized staff in physics, chemistry, and math and followed leading practices to build its quantum workforce. But some defense laboratories haven't...
      **Released on   Nov 17, 2023**
          Federal Workforce: Data Reveal Minor Demographic Changes 2011-2021
    GAO-24-105924
      Published:   Nov 17, 2023
. 
        Publicly Released:   Nov 17, 2023
.
    The federal government aims to hire and promote a workforce that reflects the diversity of the U.S. population. We looked at a decade of federal employment trends. For example, from 2011-2021 there were minor changes in the representation of historically disadvantaged racial groups—like Black or African American and Asians—in the federal workforce. But several of these groups made gains in senior executive service positions. The...
      **Released on   Oct 26, 2023**
          International Trade Administration: Global Markets Employee Focus Groups Raise Workforce Management Concerns
    GAO-24-106747
      Published:   Oct 26, 2023
. 
        Publicly Released:   Oct 26, 2023
.
    The Global Markets unit in the Commerce Department's International Trade Administration helps small- and medium-sized U.S. businesses enter and expand into international markets. In May 2023, we found that the Global Markets unit didn't have a comprehensive strategic workforce plan and needed to address human capital office vacancies. We held six focus group sessions with employees to get their perspectives on these and other issues...
          Mental Health Services: State Should Collect Ongoing Feedback to Ensure Overseas Employees' Needs Are Being Met
    GAO-24-106082
      Published:   Oct 26, 2023
. 
        Publicly Released:   Oct 26, 2023
.
    U.S. employees and their families overseas often work and live in stressful environments with limited or no access to local mental health services. While the State Department and U.S. Agency for International Development offer some mental health services, providers and patients we surveyed identified challenges in delivering or accessing them. For example, providers reported increased workloads amid growing demand for services. State has collected feedback...
      **Released on   Oct 18, 2023**
          Immigration Courts: Actions Needed to Address Workforce Planning and Other Management Challenges
    GAO-24-107046
      Published:   Oct 18, 2023
. 
        Publicly Released:   Oct 18, 2023
.
    This testimony discusses workforce planning and management challenges at the Justice Department's Executive Office for Immigration Review. Immigration judges at EOIR hold hearings to decide whether foreign nationals may be removed from the U.S. As of July 2023, EOIR had a significant and growing backlog of nearly 2.2 million pending cases. Despite this, EOIR hasn't developed a strategic workforce plan to address its staffing needs...
    
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