[Promotions Subject to Subsequent Mandatory Training Requirement]

A decision was requested concerning the propriety of compensation payments to certain civilian Army employees who were alleged to be holding positions for which they were not qualified. In this case, some contracting officers were promoted to positions for which the Department of Defense (DOD) had a condition subsequent mandatory training requirement. However, at the time of the appointments, no one questioned whether the employees were qualified for the appointments. GAO found that, since this condition subsequent mandatory training requirement imposed a position qualification requirement and a later subsequent evaluation after the employee had been appointed to the position, it was invalid as inconsistent with Office of Personnel Management requirements. GAO agreed with DOD that its training requirement was more of a desired objective than a mandatory requirement. Accordingly, GAO found no basis for ordering recoupment of the compensation.