Federal Reports

An Amtrak Electrician based in Groton, Connecticut, violated company policy by misusing his company-owned vehicle by regularly traveling to and stopping atlocations not associated with his work duties during his shifts, including making multiple visits to his residence throughout July 2022. In addition, we determined that the employee violated company policies by attempting to cover the lens of the interior Lytx camera in his vehicle and for not being honest or forthcoming with our agents during his interview. The employee was terminated after his disciplinary hearing on December 13, 2022.

The Office of the Inspector General included an audit of the Tennessee Valley Authority’s (TVA) employee relocation allowances on our annual audit plan due to the potential reputational and financial risks associated with relocations that do not comply with TVA policies and procedures. Our audit objective was to determine if relocation allowances are paid in accordance with TVA Standard Programs and Processes (SPP) 11.208, Employee Relocation Allowances. Our audit scope included 308 completed employee relocations during calendar years 2019 through 2021, totaling approximately $8.4 million. TVA utilizes a third-party vendor, SIRVA Relocation, LLC, (SIRVA) to interface with the employee and administer the relocation in accordance with TVA’s policies. We found employee relocations were generally paid in accordance with TVA SPP 11.208 and the management review control for payment of these transactions was operating effectively. However, we identified an opportunity to improve the relocation process and instances where program guidance could be clarified. Specifically, we found (1) SIRVA’s review of miscellaneous expense allowance claims was not documented consistently, (2) program guidance for some employee relocations could be improved, (3) program guidance for manager and specialist new hires is unclear, and (4) program guidance for temporary living allowances incorrectly references the Federal Travel Regulation.

As part of the Pandemic Response Accountability Committee’s (PRAC)1 effort toprovide policymakers and stakeholders with information about the nature oftelehealth and its use across federal health care programs, the Office ofInspector General (OIG) conducted an evaluation to: (1) examine the use oftelehealth across the Department of Labor’s (DOL) workers’ compensationprograms during the first year of the COVID-19 pandemic, and (2) identifyemerging risks related to the use of telehealth.

Our annual plan identifies the audits, inspections, and other activities that the OIG intends to undertake to assist the U.S. Department of Education in fulfilling its responsibilities to America’s citizens and students.

The Government Performance and Results Modernization Act of 2010 defines major management challenges as programs or management functions that are vulnerable to waste, fraud, abuse, and mismanagement, and where a failure to perform well could seriously affect the ability of the U.S. Department of Education (Department) to achieve its mission or goals.In accordance with the Reports Consolidation Act of 2000, the Office of Inspector General (OIG) reports annually on the most serious management and performance challenges the Department faces. Our reports include a brief assessment of the Department’s progress in addressing the challenges. We also identify further actions that, if properly implemented, could enhance the effectiveness of the Department’s programs and operations.

This Office of Inspector General Comprehensive Healthcare Inspection Program report describes the results of a focused evaluation of the inpatient and outpatient settings of the Lexington VA Health Care System and associated outpatient clinics in Kentucky. This evaluation focused on five key operational areas:• Leadership and organizational risks• Quality, safety, and value• Medical staff privileging• Environment of care• Mental health (emergency department and urgent care center prevention initiatives)The OIG issued 10 recommendations for improvement in four areas:1. Quality, safety, and value• Peer review improvement actions2. Medical staff privileging• Focused and Ongoing Professional Practice Evaluations3. Environment of care• Local naloxone policy• Product expiration dates• Furnishing safety and condition• Suicide risk abatement plans4. Mental health• Suicide risk screening