	Background

To process claims accurately, consistently, and in a timely manner,  Veterans Service Representatives (VSR) and Rating Veterans Service  Representatives (RVSR) must perform a complex set of tasks. Experienced Claims Processors Had Concerns with Various Aspects of the Training They Received

Experienced staff responding to our survey expressed concerns with the  amount of training they were required to take and their ability to meet  those requirements. An estimated 45 percent of supervisors  of experienced RVSRs and 53 percent of supervisors of experienced VSRs  thought that only some or few, if any, of the experienced staff they  supervise need 80 hours of training. Our survey results also indicated that it was challenging for many  experienced claims processors, in general, to meet the 80-hour annual  training requirement, given their workload. While many experienced claims processors thought that 80 hours of  training per year was too much and difficult to complete, they had mixed  views on the amount of training they received on specific topics. For  example, an estimated 47 percent thought they received less than  sufficient training in developing appeals and remands, and 42 percent  thought they received less than needed in how to rate claims involving  special monthly compensation. On the other hand, in each case, about  one-third thought they received more than enough training in records  management, rating disability compensation claims, and calculating  payment amounts based on disability ratings. Experienced claims processors’ views on the helpfulness of various  training modes and the timing of training also varied. An estimated 39 percent of all  experienced claims processors felt that the formal training, in general,  they received in the last 12 months was delivered too late to help them  effectively perform their job duties. VBA Did Little to Systematically Monitor or Assess Training for Experienced Claims Processors but Has Begun to Take Steps to Do So

VBA headquarters does not ensure that experienced claims processors  receive all required training. While each regional office is responsible for  recording completed training hours for each claims processor in VA’s  Web-based Learning Management System (LMS), VBA officials told us that  VBA headquarters did not use it to centrally monitor the specific types of  training individual claims processors have completed. To improve VBA  headquarters’ ability to systematically monitor regional office compliance  with its annual training requirements, we recommended that it adopt  procedures to routinely do so, including more fully utilizing its LMS to  ensure that claims processors received required CTTR and ad hoc training  on emerging issues. In addition, we found that VBA lacked controls to ensure that regional  offices record completed training in a consistent manner. Each regional  office has considerable discretion in determining what activities qualify as  training and we noted that they were not all defining training consistently. We recommended that VBA develop clear written guidance on  the types of activities all regional offices should and should not count  toward completion of annual training requirements. VBA also has not systematically assessed the appropriateness or  consistency of training regional offices provide to experienced claims  processors. In prior work, we have noted that federal agencies should  have mechanisms in place to ensure that training for employees is  appropriate and consistent. As a result, we recommended that  VBA develop and implement a written strategy to systematically assess the  appropriateness (content, mode and timing) of all training for experienced  claims processors. VBA says it is assessing the  feasibility of requiring staff to complete an evaluation tool for all training  and expects to complete this assessment by September 30, 2010. Furthermore, there are questions about the reliability  of the training data regional offices record in VA’s LMS. GAO-10-445. Human Capital: A Guide for Assessing Strategic Training and  Development Efforts in the Federal Government.
Why GAO Did This Study

GAO was asked to present its views on the training requirements and procedures for VA personnel responsible for processing compensation and pension claims. This statement is based primarily upon an April 2010 GAO report on VA's training for experienced disability claims processors (GAO-10-445) and includes information on actions VBA says it has taken in response to our recommendations. This statement focuses on (1) experienced disability claims processors' views regarding training, and (2) VBA's efforts to monitor and assess training for experienced disability claims processors.

What GAO Found

Experienced claims processors had concerns about the amount of training they were required to complete and their ability to meet that requirement. In addition, they had mixed views on the amount of training received on specific topics, the way in which training was delivered and the timing of training. GAO's survey results indicated that 60 percent of experienced claims processors found it difficult to meet the 80 hour annual training requirement given their workload. In addition, based on its survey, GAO estimates that 45 percent of supervisors of experienced Rating Veterans Service Representatives (RVSR) and 53 percent of supervisors of experienced Veterans Service Representatives (VSR) thought that only some or few, if any, of the experienced staff they supervise need 80 hours of training annually to perform their job duties effectively. Many experienced staff also thought they received too little training on some topics and too much on others. For example, 47 percent thought they received less training than needed in how to develop appeals and remands and 34 percent thought they received more than enough training on records management. Finally, opinions varied on how helpful the various modes of training were. Nearly all claims processors, in general, considered on-the-job experience to be the method of training best suited to their needs. An estimated 39 percent of all experienced claims processors, in general, felt that the training they received was delivered too late, suggesting that regional offices may not always deliver the training needed by experienced claims processors in a timely manner. According to Standards for Internal Control in the Federal Government, federal agencies must have control mechanisms in place to help ensure that all employees receive appropriate and consistent training. Under its current annual training requirements, VBA delegates considerable responsibility for training experienced claims processors to each of its 57 regional offices. In particular, regional offices are responsible for ensuring that claims processors complete annual training requirements. Each office also determines what topics are covered for half of the required training hours, what material to provide on each of these topics, and how and when the training should occur. Regional offices also have considerable discretion in determining what activities qualify as training. However, at the time of GAO's review, VBA lacked controls to ensure that regional offices deliver required training and record completed training in a consistent manner, and did little to assess the appropriateness or consistency of all training for experienced claims processors. During the course of our review and in response to our recommendations, VBA has taken steps to improve its monitoring and assessment of training. VBA reports that they are developing guidance on what activities qualify as training, have begun to require staff to complete course evaluations for some training and are exploring the feasibility of requiring evaluations for all training. In its April report, GAO recommended that VBA (1) adopt procedures for routinely monitoring and ensuring compliance with annual training requirements, including more fully using its Web-based learning management system to ensure training requirements are met, (2) develop clear written guidance on the types of activities all regional offices should and should not count toward completion of annual training requirements, and (3) develop and implement a written strategy for systematically assessing the appropriateness of the training regional offices provide to experienced claims processors. VA concurred with these recommendations and has taken some actions in response.