DOL-OIG Semiannual Reports

Pursuant to a congressional request, GAO reviewed allegations that some statistics in the Department of Labor's Office of Inspector General (OIG) semiannual reports could be inaccurate and unreliable. GAO noted that: (1) the OIG reports did not accurately summarize the office's activities during the preceeding 6 months; (2) OIG had systematic problems in capturing and recording agency accomplishments; (3) OIG reported agency accomplishments as of the date they were entered into the system rather than when they actually occurred, which was not explained in the reports; (4) differences varied by as much as 40 percent from what actually occurred during the reporting period; and (5) OIG has taken steps to ensure that future semiannual reports accurately reflect events that occurred within the reporting periods and has corrected some past reports.