The Government Accountability Office has recommended the Office of Personnel Management establish a process to help other agencies validate their data on how many political appointees become career federal workers.GAO said Friday it examined the number of conversions as reported by agencies between Jan. 1, 2010 and Oct. 1, 2015, as well as the extent to which agencies sought approval before making such conversions.
Auditors found eight agencies implemented 17 conversions without receiving prior approval from OPM.
GAO said OPM completed post-appointment reviews for 13 of those 17 political conversions, approved nine conversions and denied four.
OPM recently implemented new procedures that require agencies to notify within two months when an OPM-approved conversion of a political appointee is complete to comply with the new reporting requirements in the Transitions Act.
