Report Contents
Summary of Review
The Office of Inspector General (OIG) conducted a targeted review of leadership and management at the National Passport Center (NPC) to address a high volume of complaints received by OIG’s hotline in early 2018. NPC staff made complaints that alleged misconduct, harassment, and retaliation as well as misuse of government systems and software applications at NPC. OIG found significant and credible evidence of ongoing and systemic deficiencies in leadership and management that require the immediate attention of the Bureau of Consular Affairs (CA).
Specifically, OIG found that a sustained failure of leadership at NPC fostered a culture where inappropriate conduct was permitted and employees were not held accountable for that conduct. Employees reported that retaliation, harassment, and “bullying” created an abusive and threatening work environment, which was either condoned or perpetrated by nearly all levels of NPC leadership. Ineffective communication throughout the organization compounded these problems. In the course of examining these issues, OIG also identified a number of organizational, administrative, and security issues that exacerbated NPC’s other problems in the work environment.
OIG recommended that CA develop a corrective action plan within 60 calendar days from the date of this report to address NPC’s leadership and management deficiencies. OIG will monitor execution of the corrective action plan until CA has implemented all of its elements because OIG found overwhelming evidence that senior leaders in both CA’s Office of Passport Services and NPC took no action or contributed to the serious longstanding problems at NPC that were identified as long ago as 2014.
OIG made 12 recommendations to address the leadership and management deficiencies at the National Passport Center. In its comments on this draft report, the Bureau of Consular Affairs concurred with all 12 recommendations. The bureau’s response to the recommendations and OIG’s reply can be found in the Recommendations Section of this report. OIG considers the recommendations resolved. The bureau’s formal written response is reprinted in its entirety in Appendix C.
Report Terms
Report Recommendations
The Bureau of Consular Affairs should, within 60 days, develop a corrective action plan to address the leadership and management deficiencies at the National Passport Center. At a minimum, the corrective action plan should address Recommendations 2 through 12 and include milestones and target implementation dates for the resolution of each. In addition, the action plan should be reviewed and approved by the Under Secretary for Management.
The Bureau of Consular Affairs, in coordination with the Office of Civil Rights, should investigate the expressed concerns within the National Passport Center workforce of sexual harassment and discrimination.
The Bureau of Consular Affairs should assess the skills, knowledge, abilities, and conduct of the National Passport Center’s current senior and mid-level management staff to determine whether they should remain in their positions.
The Bureau of Consular Affairs should implement mechanisms to facilitate more frequent communication and feedback from National Passport Center management to employees. These mechanisms should include means of holding managers accountable for meeting with employees to discuss new passport adjudication guidance in accordance with Department standards.
The Bureau of Consular Affairs should develop a consistent method to document, communicate, and retain passport adjudication policy and procedure updates and guidance for employee reference.
The Bureau of Consular Affairs should require the National Passport Center to implement a local training program that equips employees with the skills needed to perform their duties.
The Bureau of Consular Affairs, in coordination with the Bureau of Human Resources, should conduct an organizational assessment of the National Passport Agency’s structure and responsibilities and implement appropriate recommendations.
The Bureau of Consular Affairs should implement an effective model for providing human resource services to National Passport Center management and staff.
The Bureau of Consular Affairs should require the National Passport Center to develop and publish policies, in compliance with applicable Department standards, that cover shift hours/core hours, flexible work schedules, awards program, and leave without pay.
The Bureau of Consular Affairs should review the National Passport Center’s use of the second shift and institute changes to provide for greater supervision of employees and minimize premium pay costs.
The Bureau of Consular Affairs should require the National Passport Center management to follow Department standards for facility access control.
The Bureau of Consular Affairs should establish roles and responsibilities for the Regional and Assistant Director Information Systems Security Officers, in accordance with Department standards.