Administrative Investigation, Improper Time and Attendance and Preferential Treatment, Center of Excellence, VISN 17, Waco, Texas

An administrative investigation found that a Senior Official at the VISN 17 Center of Excellence, Waco, Texas, misused official time when she took and approved authorized absences for her subordinates to conduct non-VA grant work for a non-VA entity during their VA duty hours, receiving remuneration from the entity. The Senior Official also created the appearance of preferential treatment when she loaned $7,000 to a subordinate to cover monies not yet paid to the subordinate by the entity and engaged in a conflict of interest when she recommended approval for Joint Employment Agreements between VA and the entity. We further found that the Center of Excellence did not maintain time and attendance records that accurately reflected the time delegated to VA versus tasks associated with the entity during employee tours of duty to alleviate improper salary supplementation.