Framework for Assessing Job Vulnerability to Ethical Problems

There is growing concern in Congress and elsewhere over the amount of Government money lost each year through fraud and abuse by Federal employees. GAO developed a framework in which a job's particular vulnerability to ethical or conflict-of-interest problems could be assessed. The framework was based on a group of factors which agencies could use to assess the strengths and weaknesses of their program for promoting the ethical conduct of their employees. GAO tried to determine what factors contributed to problems of ethical conduct within a job. These factors could be used in developing specific standards in identifying those vulnerable aspects of a job which could be modified or eliminated. The factors could also alert agencies to areas needing increased inspection or audit coverage.