Administrative Investigation - Alleged Preferential Treatment and Potential Misuse of Travel Funds, Veterans Benefits Administration, VA Central Office, Washington, DC

The OIG Administrative Investigations Division investigated and did not substantiate allegations that a VBA employee was given preferential treatment or that she misused VA travel funds to commute to and from VA Central Office. We found that the employee was competitively selected and promoted into a GS-15 position a year prior to requesting a downgrade to a non-supervisory GS-14 virtual position and that she was properly reassigned to an existing vacancy which allowed for 100 percent telework. Staffing and reassigning employees is at management’s discretion as to what is best for the organization. We found no evidence that she received this downgrade as a result of favoritism or an abuse of position by any VBA official. In reference to her travel, we found that the employee’s travel to VA Central Office, as confirmed by her supervisor, was essential to official VA business and a requirement of her position, as well as others working on the same team, to interact with VA contractor employees and VBA facilitators.