The Peace Corps employs more than 3,400 staff who help execute the agency mission and serve on the front lines of the Volunteer experience. Approximately 92 percent of staff at overseas posts are personal services contractors (PSCs), who also make up 70 percent of all Peace Corps staff. A significant part of the agency’s success depends on how well it manages its human resources operations to hire, train, and retain quality PSC staff. Our evaluation assesses the agency’s human resources management for overseas PSCs, focusing on the posts’ operations and the support they receive from agency offices and staff. We did not measure PSC satisfaction with human resources services or address the human resources management of the agency’s direct hire staff.
Open Recommendations
| Recommendation Number | Significant Recommendation | Recommended Questioned Costs | Recommended Funds for Better Use | Additional Details | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | No | $0 | $0 | ||
| The agency assigns a key role in the organizational structure that has the overall responsibility to manage human resources for overseas PSCs. | |||||
| 2 | No | $0 | $0 | ||
| The agency creates or modifies data collection tools to gather the data necessary to conduct comprehensive reviews of human resources management for overseas PSCs that could improve performance outcomes and operational effectiveness. | |||||
| 3 | No | $0 | $0 | ||
| The agency conducts a comprehensive review of human resources management for overseas PSCs to improve performance outcomes and operational effectiveness. | |||||
| 4 | No | $0 | $0 | ||
| The agency develops a plan to implement improvements identified in the comprehensive review of human resources management for overseas PSCs. | |||||
| 5 | No | $0 | $0 | ||
| The agency ensures that each post establishes a hiring process that includes a standard timeline for hiring and clarifies the responsibilities of staff that have a role in the process. | |||||
| 6 | No | $0 | $0 | ||
| The agency establishes grievance policies and procedures for overseas PSCs that includes guidance about how grievances are raised and resolved. | |||||
| 7 | No | $0 | $0 | ||
| The agency establishes a standard operating procedure that ensures staff handbooks are updated timely and effectively. | |||||
| 8 | No | $0 | $0 | ||
| The agency ensures that posts develop and document an awards program that outlines eligibility criteria and process. | |||||
| 9 | No | $0 | $0 | ||
| The agency develops and implements a plan to train USDH and local staff for their human resources management responsibilities. | |||||
