GAO's Annual Report on Activities of OPM, Fiscal Year 1985

As part of its annual report on the activities of the Office of Personnel Management (OPM), GAO reviewed whether OPM actions were in accordance with merit system principles and free from prohibited personnel practices.

GAO found that, as of September 30, 1985, OPM has made progress in: (1) analyzing alternative structures of the Senior Executive Service; (2) developing information concerning the use of part-time permanent employees; (3) reviewing a new methodology to conduct federal agency personnel management evaluations; (4) identifying any needed reforms to the Federal Employees Group Life Insurance Program; (5) determining whether there is a need to provide health insurance benefits to temporary federal employees; (6) examining various options under which the government might provide dependent care assistance to federal employees; (7) reviewing the administration's program for reducing grade GS-11 to GS-15 positions; (8) examining how selected agencies are implementing recent legislative changes to the merit pay system; (9) assessing its management controls for monitoring agencies' use of temporary employees; (10) comparing the Federal Employees Health Benefits Program with health benefits generally offered by private employers; and (11) determining whether federal employees' retirement benefits are in proportion to the total time worked.