The Need to Improve Holiday Administration Overseas
ID-78-7: Published: Dec 12, 1977. Publicly Released: Dec 12, 1977.
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GAO previously reported to Congress that the degree to which holidays were being observed overseas appeared to be inappropriate. The Department of State advised its diplomatic and consular posts of these findings and asked them to review their holiday observance policies. The posts were told that they should observe only local holidays where failure to do so would be contrary to the interests of the United States, but the posts were not specifically instructed to reduce the number of holidays observed.
U.S. Embassies in the 17 countries originally reviewed recognized an average of 19.8 holidays in 1973 and 19.1 in 1976. According to 1977 holiday schedules, these Embassies will recognize an average of 18.2 holidays. The decrease in 1977 is largely because the Embassy in Laos reduced the number of holidays it recognized to 14, down from 30 in 1973 and 25 in 1976. It would appear that the posts need stronger urging if the number of holidays recognized overseas are to be significantly reduced. In October 1977, the Civil Service Commission asked federal departments and agencies to comment on proposed guidelines for observing holidays in foreign areas. The guidelines emphasize giving American and foreign national employees only those holidays which are their official holidays unless the employees are placed on annual leave for the day or the annual pay of foreign national employees is reduced to reflect additional non-workdays resulting from observing federal holidays. The guidelines appear to be sufficiently flexible to cover the varying circumstances within and between foreign countries and specific enough, if properly implemented, to reduce the number of lost workdays.
Feb 26, 2021
Servicemember Rights:
Mandatory Arbitration Clauses Have Affected Some Employment and Consumer Claims but the Extent of Their Effects is UnknownGAO-21-221: Published: Feb 26, 2021. Publicly Released: Feb 26, 2021.
Feb 18, 2021
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Workplace Safety and Health:
Actions Needed to Improve Reporting of Summary Injury and Illness DataGAO-21-122: Published: Jan 27, 2021. Publicly Released: Feb 18, 2021.
Jan 27, 2021
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Military Spouse Employment:
DOD Should Continue Assessing State Licensing Practices and Increase Awareness of ResourcesGAO-21-193: Published: Jan 27, 2021. Publicly Released: Jan 27, 2021.
Oct 19, 2020
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Fair Labor Standards Act:
Observations on the Effects of the Home Care RuleGAO-21-72: Published: Oct 19, 2020. Publicly Released: Oct 19, 2020.
Jun 22, 2020
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Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act:
Additional DOL Actions Needed to Help States and Employers Address Substance Use DisorderGAO-20-337: Published: May 21, 2020. Publicly Released: Jun 22, 2020.
Apr 14, 2020
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Job Corps:
DOL Should Provide Greater Transparency in Communicating Its Rationale for Closure DecisionsGAO-20-240R: Published: Apr 14, 2020. Publicly Released: Apr 14, 2020.
Feb 14, 2020
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National Mediation Board:
Additional Actions Needed to Fully Implement Prior GAO Recommendations and Improve Agency Management and OversightGAO-20-236: Published: Feb 14, 2020. Publicly Released: Feb 14, 2020.
Feb 10, 2020
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National Weather Service:
Information on Contractor Selection and Work Performed for Its Operations and Workforce Analysis ProjectGAO-20-271R: Published: Jan 30, 2020. Publicly Released: Feb 10, 2020.
Sep 9, 2019
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Job Corps:
Actions Needed to Improve Planning for Center Operation ContractsGAO-19-326: Published: Aug 8, 2019. Publicly Released: Sep 9, 2019.
Apr 10, 2019
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Priority Open Recommendations:
Department of LaborGAO-19-395SP: Published: Apr 3, 2019. Publicly Released: Apr 10, 2019.
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