The IG said that it found under-reporting of official time in a time-keeping system. Image: Lisa-S/Shutterstock.com
By: FEDweek StaffThe inspector general’s office at the Government Printing Office has reissued a report from last year critical of the agency’s controls over official time, concluding that such time “was systemically under-reported.”
While the GPO is a legislative branch agency, it generally follows most executive branch employment policies including regarding official time, which is on the clock time that employees are allowed for certain union-related purposes. For example, it can be used to represent other employees in a grievance proceeding but not for union organizing activity.
The IG said that it found under-reporting of official time in a time-keeping system which management “did not actively monitor.” Management further “generally do not know the specific purpose for official time usage” except for situations such management-sponsored meetings, it said, citing a risk of “improper use or even abuse.”
When first issued last year the report led to an unusually testy exchange between agency management and an IG’s over an audit, with the former dismissing the findings as only “record-keeping weaknesses” while the latter said the reply raised questions about the GPO’s “seriousness to remedy the issues identified.”
Management was more receptive to the recommendations of late to the report’s findings. The GPO IG stated that agency management “has taken steps to act on all of the audit’s recommendations” and would close them upon verification,” and pushed back on the idea that management has been dismissive.
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