GAO audit flags slow hiring and data gaps in recruitment process

An inspector general report for the Government Accountability Office highlighted that its recruitment process is slower than comparable federal bodies, averaging about 103 days to staff mission-critical roles in fiscal 2024, versus an internal target of 98-101 days and an OPM goal of 80 days. The audit uncovered that roughly 20 hires, or about 30%, were left out of the agency’s time-to-hire metrics, and that the start date for the hiring clock is inconsistently defined.

GAO’s chief human capital officer explained the extended timeline as a result of extensive interview rounds and the ability to negotiate salaries, which the agency believes broadens the applicant pool. The watchdog accepted two of the IG’s recommendations—periodic timeline reviews and updating internal documents—but argued that promotions should not count toward the metric and suggested separate tracking for early hiring steps. GAO committed to implement all recommendations by April 1, 2027, even as it faced staffing reductions and budget constraints that left it with a net loss of about 100 staff in fiscal 2025.