VA Hiring Practices Under Scrutiny: GAO Report Reveals Employment of Hundreds with Drug Convictions

The Government Accountability Office (GAO) report reveals that the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) has hired a significant number of employees with felony convictions for controlled substance possession, raising concerns about veteran safety and drug theft risks. About 1,800 Veterans Health Administration (VHA) workers are estimated to have such felony convictions, with deeper investigations uncovering instances of employees being hired despite known drug-related criminal histories. The VHA lacks adequate control processes to assess the suitability of these individuals for roles close to veterans and has not consistently sought required Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) waivers for these hires. This oversight increases the potential for controlled substance theft and diversion. The GAO recommends implementing stricter background checks and establishing a waiver policy, but the VHA has yet to complete these steps.

Source: https://www.foxnews.com/politics/va-hired-hundreds-employees-drug-related-criminal-history-putting-veterans-at-risk-watchdog