Federal Reports

Robert Barrows, a former Amtrak Assistant Conductor, pleaded guilty in U.S. District Court, District of Massachusetts, on June 17, 2021, to making a false statement to obtain federal employee’s compensation in 2016. Barrows falsely claimed on his unemployment benefits claim form that he had no income during the claim period when he applied for Railroad Retirement Board unemployment benefits. Our investigation was conducted jointly with the RRB Office of Inspector General.

We prepared this memorandum to provide the Office of Housing at the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) information regarding the opportunity to promote a homeless waitlist preference at Multifamily Housing rental assistance properties. HUD has an opportunity to revisit the promotion and marketing of its homeless waitlist preference and the importance of partnering with a homeless service provider. Additionally, HUD can take this opportunity to make any changes to the program or adopt additional incentives to increase the likelihood of owner and agent participation. Lastly, HUD should also consider updating its public website to make it more liket that someone with limited resources and knowledge of its site can successfully identify Multifamily Housing rental assistance properties in his or her area.

Our objective was to assess the Postal Service’s management of its employees’ use of novel coronavirus disease (COVID-19) leave under the Families First Coronavirus Response Act (FFCRA). Although the FFCRA expired on December 31, 2020, the Postal Service continued to allow liberal leave usage for employees who had a sickness related to COVID‑19. On March 11, 2021, the American Rescue Plan Act was signed into law. This Act is similar to the FFCRA in that it created a new type of leave. Effective March 12, 2021, and continuing through September 30, 2021, the American Rescue Plan Act provides employees with up to 600 hours of paid leave. The OPM issued guidance on using the new leave authority on April 29, 2021.