The Office of the Inspector General identified several issues with the use and oversight of the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission’s telework program, including missing telework agreements and inaccurate telework records, both of which are required by law for proper program administration. Additionally, we found inadequate compliance with documentation standards, which could result in inconsistent adherence to policies and inaccuracies in employee records. Finally, we identified discrepancies in some official duty stations and failure to comply with telework agreement terms, potentially resulting in incorrect locality pay.
This report makes seven recommendations to strengthen the telework program’s document management and oversight processes to ensure full compliance with federal laws and regulations.
Open Recommendations
| Recommendation Number | Significant Recommendation | Recommended Questioned Costs | Recommended Funds for Better Use | Additional Details | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1.1 | Yes | $0 | $0 | ||
| The OIG recommends that the Executive Director for Operations establish a process to verify that all telework agreements are submitted and reviewed to maintain oversight and data integrity. | |||||
| 1.2 | Yes | $0 | $0 | ||
| The OIG recommends that the Executive Director for Operations conduct periodic reconciliations between the telework agreements and the NRC’s payroll system to ensure the accuracy and completeness of employees’ telework statuses. | |||||
| 2.1 | Yes | $0 | $0 | ||
| The OIG recommends that the Executive Director for Operations implement and document validation procedures to ensure submitted telework agreements are complete and records are maintained in compliance with NRC procedures. | |||||
| 3.1 | Yes | $0 | $0 | ||
| The OIG recommends that the Executive Director for Operations require all official duty station changes resulting from telework to be supported by an approved agreement and ensure all relevant documentation is retained within the telework records. | |||||
| 3.2 | Yes | $0 | $0 | ||
| The OIG recommends that the Executive Director for Operations implement a process to track the completion of corrective actions for discrepancies and ensure any unresolved issues are properly addressed. | |||||
| 3.3 | Yes | $0 | $0 | ||
| The OIG recommends that the Executive Director for Operations implement a tracking system to monitor telework agreements nearing expiration, ensuring that necessary updates, such as changes to official duty stations, are made promptly and in accordance with established procedures. | |||||
| 4.1 | Yes | $0 | $0 | ||
| The OIG recommends that the Executive Director for Operations develop procedures to mitigate the risk of inaccurate locality pay resulting from employees not reporting to their official duty station as required by the terms of their telework agreements. | |||||
