Personnel Practices: Retroactive Appointments and Pay Adjustments in the Executive Office of the President
Highlights
Pursuant to a congressional request, GAO discussed the propriety of certain personnel and pay actions in the Executive Office of the President (EOP). GAO noted that: (1) most of the retroactive appointments and pay adjustments involved employees at various salary levels; (2) the retroactive appointments and pay increases were legal and appropriate; (3) the President is authorized to appoint and adjust the pay of certain employees in the White House without regard to any other provision of law regulating the employment or compensation of government employees; (4) Congress may wish to consider amending title 3 to provide greater specificity to the scope of the President's authority with respect to retroactive pay adjustments; (5) all EOP employees submitted timely financial disclosure forms with the exception of 1 employee who requested a reporting waiver; (6) the White House is in the process of collecting overpayments from 25 employees; and (7) EOP officials are in the process of taking corrective actions on personnel matters warranting further clarification such as improper advancement of annual leave and the retention of employees on the payroll after expiration of temporary employment.