Our Name
GAO's Name Change and Other Provisions of the GAO Human Capital Reform Act of 2004
Effective July 7, 2004, the GAO's legal name became the Government Accountability Office. The change, which better reflects the modern professional services organization GAO has become, is the most visible provision of the GAO Human Capital Reform Act of 2004, Pub. L. 108-271, 118 Stat. 811 (2004).
Besides the name change, the law
- decouples GAO from the federal employee pay system,
- establishes a compensation system that places greater emphasis on job performance while protecting the purchasing power of employees who are performing acceptably,
- gives GAO permanent authority to offer voluntary early retirement opportunities and voluntary separation payments (buy-outs),
- provides greater flexibility for reimbursing employees for relocation benefits,
- allows certain employees and officers with less than three years of federal service to earn increased amounts of annual leave, and
- authorizes an exchange program with private sector organizations.
Related Links
- "GAO Answers the Question: What's in a Name?" (PDF, 3 pages) by David M. Walker, Roll Call, July 19, 2004
- Links to the law at the U.S. Government Printing Office: PDF Printer-friendly
For more information, contact
Chuck Young, youngc1@gao.gov, (202) 512-4800 or
Ralph Dawn, dawnr@gao.gov, (202) 512-4400