An independent watchdog has accused the United States Office of Personnel Management (OPM) of failing to comply with requests for documents relating to an investigation into the Agency’s use of direct hire authority.
The House of Representatives Oversight and Reform Committee had asked Acting OPM Inspector General, Norbert Vint (pictured) to investigate reports that OPM was misusing its authority in order to install political appointees in positions typically held by career Public Servants.
However, Mr Vint said that over a two-month period, the Agency failed to provide any documents to his office pertaining to the issue.
Direct hire authority is a practice where Agencies may go outside the traditional Public Service hiring process to fill vacancies when there is a critical need or a shortage of qualified candidates.
Federal law requires Agencies to cooperate with Inspector General investigations and provide records to investigators in a “timely” manner.
In a letter to Congress, Mr Vint said OPM missed two deadlines — on 17 June and 17 July — to provide any of the requested documentation, despite officials being aware that the Inspector General’s office was willing to accept records on a rolling basis as they became available.
“Timely access to Agency records is essential in order for the Office of the Inspector General to perform this critical work,” Mr Vint wrote.
An OPM spokesperson said the documents requested by the Inspector General had now been submitted, but declined to answer journalists’ questions about the Agency’s use of its direct hire authority.
Senior Counsel for Legislative and External Affairs at the Office of the Inspector General, Faiza Mathon-Mathieu, confirmed the OPM had handed over documents, but said investigators would not know if they received everything they requested until they had finished reviewing the submission.
Washington, 26 July 2020
