VBA Did Not Consistently Comply with Skills Certification Mandates for Compensation and Pension Claims Processors

Report Information

Issue Date
Report Number
20-00421-63
VA Office
Veterans Benefits Administration (VBA)
Report Author
Office of Audits and Evaluations
Report Type
Review
Major Management Challenges
Benefits for Veterans
Recommendations
6
Questioned Costs
$0
Better Use of Funds
$0
Congressionally Mandated
No

Summary

Summary
This review examined how effectively Veterans Benefits Administration (VBA) managers fulfilled the plan VA was required to submit to Congress for a skills certification program for claims processors. The program includes a required test to ensure staff have the skills, knowledge, and abilities needed to accurately carry out their tasks. The OIG found VBA did not meet the skills certification requirements for fiscal years (FYs) 2016 through 2019. Specifically, based on a statistical sample, the OIG estimated 4,700 of 10,800 individuals required to take the exam were not tested. The program also did not provide individual training plans to about 1,900 of the 2,500 employees who failed the test, or ensure that all staff who failed took the next scheduled test. Further, VBA did not take personnel actions against an estimated 98 percent of employees who failed consecutive tests after receiving remedial training. Several factors contributed to the identified issues, including an insufficient process for identifying and notifying those required to take the test and data limitations affecting tracking. In addition, VBA did not design tests for all employees cited in the plan. Testing was cancelled in FY 2018 because of intranet technical issues and in FY 2019 to assess the effectiveness of testing. The OIG made six recommendations regarding written guidelines for individuals required to or exempted from taking tests; a tracking mechanism for eligible test takers; updates to Congress on why not all claims-processing positions are subject to testing; plans to train staff who failed tests; an oversight plan to ensure individuals who failed consecutive tests were retrained; and notifying Congress of plans to take personnel actions against individuals who fail consecutive tests after remediation, as required by law.

Open Recommendation Image, SquareOpenClosed and Implemented Recommendation Image, CheckmarkClosed-ImplementedNot Implemented Recommendation Image, X character'Closed-Not Implemented
No. 1
Open Recommendation Image, Square
to Veterans Benefits Administration (VBA)
The under secretary for benefits creates written guidelines for tracking, identifying, notifying, registering, and exempting individuals required to take skills certification tests.
No. 2
Open Recommendation Image, Square
to Veterans Benefits Administration (VBA)
The under secretary for benefits establishes a tracking mechanism to ensure all eligible individuals required to take tests are identified and notified of testing dates at least 30 days prior to test administration.
No. 3
Closed and Implemented Recommendation Image, Checkmark
to Veterans Benefits Administration (VBA)
The under secretary for benefits provides an update to the plan submitted to Congress explaining why all employees and supervisors who have claims-processing functions listed in the original plan are not subject to skills certification testing.
No. 4
Open Recommendation Image, Square
to Veterans Benefits Administration (VBA)
The under secretary for benefits implements a plan to ensure staff who failed their most recent skills certification test and remain in the same position are provided training from individual training plans to remediate the deficiencies in their skills and competencies.
No. 5
Open Recommendation Image, Square
to Veterans Benefits Administration (VBA)
The under secretary for benefits establishes an oversight plan to ensure training set out in approved training plans is provided to individuals who fail skills certification tests.
No. 6
Closed and Implemented Recommendation Image, Checkmark
to Veterans Benefits Administration (VBA)

The under secretary for benefits notifies Congress of plans to take personnel actions against individuals who fail consecutive skills certification tests after remediation for the same positions in compliance with the Honoring America’s Veterans and Caring for Camp Lejeune Families Act of 2012.