Human Capital

Jump To:

Recent Reports

View More Reports

Open Recommendations

FEMA Workforce: Additional Actions Needed to Help Prevent and Respond to Discrimination and Harassment
GAO-23-105243
Oct 20, 2022
Show
13 Open Recommendations
Agency Affected Recommendation Status
Department of Homeland Security The Secretary of Homeland Security should update DHS's Anti- Harassment Policy Statement, consistent with EEOC's Promising Practices for Preventing Harassment, to ensure it includes:

  1. A statement that DHS will provide a prompt, impartial, and thorough investigation;
  2. A description of any processes for employees to informally share or obtain information about harassment without filing a complaint; and
  3. A statement that employees are encouraged to respond to questions or to otherwise participate in investigations regarding alleged harassment. (Recommendation 1)
Open
DHS concurred with this recommendation and said it would take steps to implement it. When we confirm what actions DHS has taken in response to this recommendation, we will provide updated information.
Department of Homeland Security The Secretary of Homeland Security should update mandatory antiharassment training consistent with EEOC's Promising Practices for Preventing Harassment, to ensure it includes:

  1. Examples that are tailored to the DHS-specific workplace and workforce;
  2. Explanations of the information that may be requested during an investigation, including: the name or a description of the alleged harasser(s), alleged victim(s), and any witnesses; the date(s) of the alleged harassment; the location(s) of the alleged harassment; and a description of the alleged harassment; and
  3. An opportunity for employees to ask questions about the training, harassment policy, complaint system, and related rules and expectations, either during the training or by providing component-specific points of contact. (Recommendation 2)
Open
DHS concurred with this recommendation and said it would take steps to implement it. When we confirm what actions DHS has taken in response to this recommendation, we will provide updated information.
Department of Homeland Security The Secretary of Homeland Security should provide an opportunity for employees to evaluate its anti-harassment training on a reoccurring basis. (Recommendation 3)
Open
DHS concurred with this recommendation and said it would take steps to implement it. When we confirm what actions DHS has taken in response to this recommendation, we will provide updated information.
Department of Homeland Security The Secretary of Homeland Security should ensure employee evaluations of anti-harassment trainings are regularly considered for future updates to its training. (Recommendation 4)
Open
DHS concurred with this recommendation and said it would take steps to implement it. When we confirm what actions DHS has taken in response to this recommendation, we will provide updated information.
Federal Emergency Management Agency The FEMA Administrator should update the agency's anti-harassment training for supervisors to include information on (1) how to identify and mitigate risk factors specific to FEMA's workplace, (2) easy-to-understand and realistic methods for addressing harassment, (3) how to report harassment allegations up the chain of command, and (4) FEMA's confidentiality rules associated with harassment complaints. (Recommendation 5)
Open
DHS concurred with this recommendation. In response to our report, DHS noted that FEMA updated its Equal Employment Opportunity (EEO) training courses for employees and supervisors in October 2021 and January 2022, respectively. We reviewed the training materials and determined that these courses do not address our recommendation. For example, the EEO course for supervisors mentions some risk factors that could assist supervisors in identifying harassment risks, however these factors are general rather than specific to FEMA's workplace. Further, the training explains the EEO discrimination complaint process, but does not provide information on how to report harassment allegations up the chain of command through FEMA's anti-harassment complaint processes. We will continue monitoring FEMA's efforts to address this recommendation.
Federal Emergency Management Agency The FEMA Administrator should collect data on time frames for key steps in the adjudication process. (Recommendation 6)
Open
DHS concurred with this recommendation and said it would take steps to implement it. When we confirm what actions DHS has taken in response to this recommendation, we will provide updated information.

Cybersecurity Workforce: Actions Needed to Improve Cybercorps Scholarship for Service Program
GAO-22-105187
Sep 29, 2022
Show
5 Open Recommendations
Agency Affected Recommendation Status
National Science Foundation The Director of the National Science Foundation, in coordination with the Director of the Office of Personnel Management, should periodically evaluate and make public, information on how long CyberCorps® Scholarship for Service Program scholarship recipients stay in the positions they enter upon graduation. (Recommendation 1)
Open
When we confirm what actions the agency has taken in response to this recommendation, we will provide updated information.
National Science Foundation The Director of the National Science Foundation should provide Congress with all required information in a timely manner for the CyberCorps® Scholarship for Service Program so Congress can use this information to make informed decisions regarding the SFS Program. (Recommendation 2)
Open
When we confirm what actions the agency has taken in response to this recommendation, we will provide updated information.
National Science Foundation The Director of the National Science Foundation should develop and implement a risk management strategy that includes a process to effectively identify, analyze, mitigate, and report CyberCorps® Scholarship for Service Program risks and challenges. (Recommendation 3)
Open
When we confirm what actions the agency has taken in response to this recommendation, we will provide updated information.
Office of Personnel Management The Director of the Office of Personnel Management, in coordination with the Director of the National Science Foundation, should establish a time frame for implementing a process to ensure that all CyberCorps® Scholarship for Service Program scholarship recipients provide their institutions of higher education and the Office of Personnel Management (in coordination with the National Science Foundation) with annual verifiable documentation of post-award employment and up-to-date contact information for a period of at least through the end of their work service obligation. (Recommendation 4)
Open
When we confirm what actions the agency has taken in response to this recommendation, we will provide updated information.
Office of Personnel Management The Director of the Office of Personnel Management, in coordination with the Director of the National Science Foundation, should ensure the collection of complete and consistent data that relate to the fulfillment of all post-award obligations or requirements pursuant to the CyberCorps® Scholarship for Service Program. (Recommendation 5)
Open
When we confirm what actions the agency has taken in response to this recommendation, we will provide updated information.

VA Acquisition Management: Actions Needed to Better Manage the Acquisition Workforce
GAO-22-105031
Sep 29, 2022
Show
2 Open Recommendations
Agency Affected Recommendation Status
Department of Veterans Affairs The Secretary of Veterans Affairs should ensure VA's Acquisition Career Manager takes steps, such as establishing procedures for staff to regularly update Cornerstone records and for reconciling Cornerstone records with HR data, to ensure that VA keeps up-to-date and accurate acquisition workforce records. (Recommendation 1)
Open
When we confirm what actions the agency has taken in response to this recommendation, we will provide updated information.
Department of Veterans Affairs The Secretary of Veterans Affairs should ensure VA's Chief Acquisition Officer documents the HCAs' roles and responsibilities for managing the acquisition workforce. (Recommendation 2)
Open
When we confirm what actions the agency has taken in response to this recommendation, we will provide updated information.

Coast Guard: Workforce Planning Actions Needed to Address Growing Cyberspace Mission Demands
GAO-22-105208
Sep 27, 2022
Show
6 Open Recommendations
Agency Affected Recommendation Status
United States Coast Guard The Commandant of the Coast Guard should assess and determine the staffing levels needed to meet its cyberspace mission demands. (Recommendation 1)
Open
When we confirm what actions the agency has taken in response to this recommendation, we will provide updated information.
United States Coast Guard The Commandant of the Coast Guard should establish a strategic workforce plan for its cyberspace workforce, to include strategies and implementing activities to address all competency and staffing needs. (Recommendation 2)
Open
When we confirm what actions the agency has taken in response to this recommendation, we will provide updated information.
United States Coast Guard The Commandant of the Coast Guard should incorporate data from the Cyber Mission Specialist rating to inform its strategic workforce planning for the enlisted cyberspace workforce. (Recommendation 3)
Open
When we confirm what actions the agency has taken in response to this recommendation, we will provide updated information.
United States Coast Guard The Commandant of the Coast Guard should develop metrics for recruitment of enlisted and all civilian cyberspace personnel, and use these metrics to assess the effectiveness of its recruitment and hiring efforts. (Recommendation 4)
Open
When we confirm what actions the agency has taken in response to this recommendation, we will provide updated information.
United States Coast Guard The Commandant of the Coast Guard should set and quantify retention goals and objectives for its cyberspace workforce. (Recommendation 5)
Open
When we confirm what actions the agency has taken in response to this recommendation, we will provide updated information.
United States Coast Guard The Commandant of the Coast Guard should establish and track metrics of success for improving cyberspace personnel morale and report its progress to Coast Guard leadership. (Recommendation 6)
Open
When we confirm what actions the agency has taken in response to this recommendation, we will provide updated information.
View More Recommendations

Related Pages

GAO Contacts