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Audit of the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission’s Voluntary Leave Transfer Program

Report Information

Date Issued
Report Number
OIG-23-A-09
Report Type
Audit
Joint Report
Yes
Participating OIG
Nuclear Regulatory Commission OIG
Agency Wide
Yes (agency-wide)
Questioned Costs
$0
Funds for Better Use
$0
View report on Oversight.gov

Recommendations

Develop and implement quality assurance measures to ensure recordkeeping of voluntary leave recipient documents complies with federal and agency record retention requirements

Revise applicable policies and procedures to reflect current practices and address inconsistencies and outdated information.

Agency Response Dated June 26, 2024: The staff has updated the Office of the Chief Human Capital Officer (OCHCO) Leave Share webpage to ensure consistency with current Federal regulations and agency processes and recordkeeping policy. Additionally, the OCHCO has updated<br />
its internal Standard Operating Procedures (SOP) to reflect current practices and ensure the SOP is consistent with agency guidance. The NRC recommends closure of this recommendation.<br />
OIG Analysis: The OIG reviewed procedural changes described in the agency’s response and determined that these actions meet the intent of this recommendation. This recommendation is now closed.

Conduct quality assurance checks to validate voluntary leave recipients’ enrollment and termination dates, and to ensure dates are captured correctly in the FPPS

Status: Open: Resolved. The staff concurs with the recommendation. The staff will develop quality assurance procedures and implement quarterly quality assurance checks to ensure dates are captured correctly in FPPS, cross-referencing FPPS dates with the documentation related to each leave recipient’s enrollment. In addition to quarterly reviews, the staff will also conduct quality assurance reviews prior to closing a VLTP case. Target date for completion: May 31, 2024.

Establish a process to identify voluntary leave recipients who have stayed in the program for an extended time period and provide guidance for OCHCO staff on what actions, if any, they should take regarding such recipients.

Response Dated June 26, 2024: The staff has facilitated a process, documented in Step 2 of the SOP, that the Program Coordinator can determine if an employee is eligible for VLTP, needs updated medical documentation, or is no longer eligible to be a leave recipient<br />
in accordance with Management Directive (MD) 10.62, Leave Administration. The NRC recommends closure of this recommendation.<br />
OIG Analysis: The OIG reviewed procedural changes documented in the agency’s response and determined that these actions meet the intent of this recommendation. This recommendation is now closed.

Implement a means of capturing required voluntary leave recipient information and use this information to conduct continuous monitoring to ensure leave recipients remain affected by a medical emergency.

Response Dated June 26, 2024: The staff has created an internal process aimed at improving our ability to capture VLTP leave recipient information. The staff uses a Microsoft Excel spreadsheet that documents the date the employee enrolled in the VLTP, the expected and<br />
actual termination dates from the program, and the amount of and date donations are received from donors. Additionally, the staff maintains a separate record in Microsoft Teams channel for each leave recipient that includes the VLTP application (OPM 630), medical certification, VLTP approval memorandum, Federal Personnel and Payroll System (FPPS) leave record, and any other pertinent documents relevant to each leave recipient’s case. The NRC recommends closure of this recommendation.<br />
OIG Analysis: The OIG reviewed procedural changes documented in the agency’s response and determined that these actions meet the intent of this recommendation. This recommendation is now closed.