BLOG

An investigation conducted by the Office of Inspector General (OIG) revealed the Veteran's Affairs Department failed to run background checks on 6,200 staff members.

About the Investigation

In 2012, the Office of Inspector General initiated an investigation to determine if VA medical facilities were running and reviewing background checks properly and in a timely manner. This process included eighteen VA facilities and continued for a 5-year period.

When the investigation was completed, the OIG concluded that the VA had not been effectively managing their background screening process. They released a list of their findings and recommended next steps.

Findings

Despite the fact that background checks are required for most positions at VA medical facilities, the OIG determined that 6,200 people were hired without being screened during a 5-year period. To make matters worse, the OIG also discovered that when background reports were ordered, they were often not run within the required time constraints. In fact, more than 10,000 VA workers did not have their background screenings completed within the allotted time constraints.

The OIG released an audit with their findings. It declared that the VA had to rely on "data from the Office of Personnel Management's Personnel Investigations Processing System to monitor the program. The OIG also had to rely on that dataset to analyze personnel suitability actions and determine the status of employee background investigations." Their document suggested that the department responsible for evaluating compliance with suitability program requirements was understaffed and lacked sufficient resources to fulfill their duties.

This audit also suggested that the VA may have exposed veterans to medical personnel who were not properly vetted. Therefore, it was unknown whether or not some VA staff members were fully qualified or if they had serious criminal records that would have prevented them from obtaining positions in the medical industry. The OIG stated that this is a violation of Executive Order 13764, which stipulates every person must be background screened before being appointed to any federal department or agency.

Recommendations

In their audit, the OIG recommended that the Assistant Secretary for Operations, Security, and Preparedness take on several tasks:

• Establish robust management oversight for the personnel suitability program
• Implement a monitoring program
• Ensure that reliable data is collected and maintained
• Establish key performance metrics
• Facilitate workload management
• Obtain corrective action plans from the VHA

The OIG further recommended that the Executive in Charge, Office of the Under Secretary for Health take steps to ensure future background screenings are handled correctly. They also asked for improved record keeping policies to track relevant employee data such as whether or not a person was deemed suitable to be granted a position within a VA medical facility.

The Importance of Screening

Background checks are used to create and maintain safe working environments; confirm an applicant's eligibility and qualifications; and empower employers to make informed decisions. They are essential for every employer and especially critical for positions in which the staff will work with potentially vulnerable individuals.

If your business is looking for background screening solutions, please contact us today. Our team is service-oriented, highly trained and available from 5am to 5pm (PST). Turn to them when you have questions, need assistance putting together screening packages for any position or want help with another aspect of your background screening process.