Recommendation: The Assistant Secretary for Employment and Training should clarify DOL's expectations of the role of state workforce agencies in addressing the employment and training needs of those affected by SUD and how non-targeted WIOA funding can be used to assist job seekers and employers. (Recommendation 1)

Agency: Department of Labor
Status: Open

Comments: DOL agreed with this recommendation. ETA anticipates providing information and technical assistance to help workforce system grantees understand how they can address the impacts of SUD on the workforce. The agency also plans to issue guidance by the end of 2020 to share promising practices and describe how WIOA funds can be used to support job seekers in recovery and employers.

Recommendation: The Assistant Secretary for Employment and Training should share information from targeted grantees with all state workforce agencies, tribal governments, and outlying areas regarding lessons learned and promising practices in addressing the needs of job seekers affected by SUD and potential employers. (Recommendation 2)

Agency: Department of Labor
Status: Open

Comments: DOL agreed with this recommendation, noting that ETA has created resources that are available to all states based on its experience administering some of the targeted grants. ETA officials cited the recently published literature review and companion resource guide, and said they also plan to share the evaluation of the Phase 1 grants widely when it is available, including any resources or tools developed by states that were awarded Phase 1 grants. In addition, ETA plans to host at least one webinar to share additional promising practices from the targeted grants that could be useful to local workforce boards around the country.

Recommendation: The Assistant Secretary of DOL's Employment and Training Administration should include detailed information on the methodology used to identify centers for proposed closure in its notices for public comment.

Agency: Department of Labor: Office of the Secretary
Status: Open

Comments: The agency concurred with the purpose and intent of this recommendation, stating that the level of information it included in notices for public comment concerning such matters complied with WIOA requirements and provided a meaningful opportunity for public comment: it did not indicate that it would provide more detailed information in the future. While we acknowledge that DOL is not required to publish its methodology in public notices, we believe that including such information can provide greater transparency in assisting the public and the Congress in understanding the agency's decision-making used to select centers for closure. DOL included detailed information on the methodology used to identify centers for proposed closure in its 2014 and 2016 public notices. As such, we believe ETA should take action to implement this recommendation in the event that the agency proposes Job Corps centers for closure in the future.

Recommendation: The Secretary of Agriculture should direct the Office of Property and Fleet Management to consistently monitor property provided to non-federal recipients within 1 year of receipt, and to ensure property is being used for its intended purpose 1 year after initial monitoring. (Recommendation 1)

Agency: Department of Agriculture
Status: Open

Comments: USDA concurred with this recommendation. As of April 2020, USDA's 180-day letter has not been received.

Recommendation: The Secretary of Energy should direct the Office of Asset Management to resume monitoring the Economic Development Property program, including property provided to non-federal recipients. (Recommendation 2)

Agency: Department of Energy: Office of the Secretary
Status: Open

Comments: As of March 2020, DOE indicated in its 180-day letter that the agency concurred with the recommendation, and will update their annual personal property reporting requirements. DOE anticipates having this recommendation implemented by September 30, 2020. GAO will continue to monitor DOE's efforts to implement this recommendation.

Recommendation: The Secretary of Labor should direct the Employment and Training Administration to take steps, such as reconciling data between Job Corps centers and the Job Corps National Office, to ensure that the entities responsible for overseeing and monitoring the Job Corps Program have accurate data on the excess property provided to non-federal recipients. (Recommendation 3)

Agency: Department of Labor: Office of the Secretary
Status: Open

Comments: As of February 2020, DOL indicated in its 180-day letter that they concurred with the recommendation, and have taken steps to improve the monitoring and oversight of Job Corps Property. This includes modifying the GSAXcess approval process by elevating review of all GSAXcess requests made by Job Corps Centers to DOL's Employment Training Administration's (ETA) national office. ETA is also working with DOL's Office of the Assistant Secretary for Administration and Management (OASAM) to develop a process for GSAXcess review that includes identifying approval levels for each category of property, identifying categories of property requiring additional review and approvals, and coordinating and streamlining access request procedures. These changes will be reflected in DOL's Office of Job Corps standard operating procedures (SOP), which is expected to be issued at the end of fiscal year 2020. DOL expects to provide training to Job Corps staff and Job Corps Centers in support of the SOP that will be provided annually. GAO will continue to monitor DOL's efforts to implement this recommendation.

Recommendation: The Secretary of Agriculture should direct the Office of Property and Fleet Management to establish clear processes to oversee property programs, including excess property provided to non-federal recipients across the agency. (Recommendation 4)

Agency: Department of Agriculture
Status: Open

Comments: USDA concurred with this recommendation. As of April 2020, USDA's 180-day letter has not been received.

Recommendation: The Secretary of Energy should direct the Office of Asset Management to update its regulations and guidance on programs that provide property to non-federal recipients to ensure regulations are current and establish a process to regularly communicate information about non-federal recipient programs to DOE program offices. (Recommendation 5)

Agency: Department of Energy: Office of the Secretary
Status: Open

Comments: As of March 2020, DOE indicated in its 180-day letter that the agency concurred with the recommendation, and will update internal policies, and provide personal property information on DOE's internal informational website known as Powerpedia. DOE anticipates implementing this recommendation by September 30, 2020. GAO will continue to monitor DOE's efforts to implement this recommendation.

Recommendation: The GSA Administrator should direct the Office of Government-wide Policy to revise the Personal Property Reporting Tool by updating the authorities agencies can select. (Recommendation 6)

Agency: General Services Administration: Office of the Administrator
Status: Open

Comments: As of February 2020, GSA indicated in its 180-day letter that it concurred with the recommendation, and has taken steps to revise the Personal Property Reporting Tool (tool). GSA has added relevant authorities to the tool as recently as July 2019, and will continue to contact agencies to ensure relevant authorities are included in the tool. GSA is also evaluating technical updates to the tool to ensure that reporting agencies select an appropriate authority when reporting personal property. GSA plans to complete these actions by July 31, 2020, and inform agencies of these changes in their guidance by the end of fiscal year 2020. GAO will continue to monitor GSA's efforts to implement the recommendation.

Recommendation: The GSA Administrator should direct the Office of Government-wide Policy to document in what circumstances excess property loaned to non-federal recipients should be reported and what property GSA is reporting on behalf of agencies, for example, by updating GSA guidance. (Recommendation 7)

Agency: General Services Administration: Office of the Administrator
Status: Open

Comments: As of February 2020, GSA indicated in its 180-day letter that it concurred with the recommendation. GSA will better communicate with agencies to better understand the confusion of reporting on loaned excess property, as reporting requirements are in statute, regulations, and guidance. GSA also plans to review and update by July 31, 2020, relevant regulations and guidance in this area including Federal Management Regulation Bulletin B-27, "Annual Executive Agency Reports on Excess and Exchange/Sale Personal Property." GAO will continue to monitor GSA's efforts to implement this recommendation.

Recommendation: The Assistant Secretary of DOL's Employment and Training Administration should provide states with information about its determination that the use of state formal warning policies is no longer permissible under federal law. (Recommendation 1)

Agency: Department of Labor
Status: Open
Priority recommendation

Comments: DOL agreed with this recommendation. The agency stated that it would take action to provide states with information about its determination that the use of state formal warning policies is no longer permissible under federal law. As of December 2019, DOL reported that it is developing new guidance that states can no longer use formal warnings. We will consider closing this recommendation when the agency completes this effort.

Recommendation: The Assistant Secretary of DOL's Employment and Training Administration should monitor states' efforts to discontinue the use of formal warning policies. (Recommendation 2)

Agency: Department of Labor
Status: Open

Comments: DOL agreed with this recommendation and stated that it would monitor states' efforts to discontinue the use of formal warning policies. In December 2019, DOL reported that it has been developing new guidance that more explicitly informs states that formal warning policies are not permissible. We will consider closing this recommendation when the agency completes this effort and monitors states' compliance with the guidance.

Recommendation: The Assistant Secretary of DOL's Employment and Training Administration should clarify information on work search verification requirements in its revised Benefit Accuracy Measurement procedures. The revised procedures should include an explanation of what DOL considers to be sufficient verification of claimants' work search activities. (Recommendation 3)

Agency: Department of Labor
Status: Open
Priority recommendation

Comments: DOL agreed with this recommendation and stated that it would clarify information on work search verification requirements in its revised Benefit Accuracy Measurement procedures. In December 2019, DOL reported that it is developing new guidance with instructions to clarify work search verification requirements. To fully implement this recommendation, DOL should finalize and publish these instructions on verifying claimants' work search activities and provide the clear directions to states.

Recommendation: The Assistant Secretary of DOL's Employment and Training Administration should monitor states' compliance with the clarified work search verification requirements. (Recommendation 4)

Agency: Department of Labor
Status: Open

Comments: DOL agreed with this recommendation and stated that it would monitor states' compliance with clarified work search verification requirements. In December 2019, DOL reported that it is working with the Office of Management and Budget on its draft work search guidance that will more explicitly inform states that formal warning policies are not permissible. We will close this recommendation when DOL publishes these instructions, providing states with clear directions, and monitors their compliance with the guidance.