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B-302548 1 (2004-08-20)

handle is hein.gao/gaocrptapqj0001 and id is 1 raw text is: G A 0 Comptroller General SIntegrity Reliability of the United States ~ccountabthty Inert Rea iy United States Government Accountability Office Washington, DC 20548 Decision Matter of: Scope of Professional Credentials Statute File: B-302548 Date: August 20, 2004 DIGEST Pursuant to 5 U.S.C. § 5757(a), federal agencies are authorized to use appropriated funds to pay an employee's expenses to obtain professional credentials. However, an agency may pay only the expenses required to obtain the license or official certification needed to practice a particular profession, including licensing fees and examinations to obtain credentials. Accordingly, section 5757(a) does not authorize the agency to pay for an employee's membership in a professional association unless membership is a prerequisite to obtaining the professional license or certification. Under 5 U.S.C. § 5946 payment for voluntary memberships in organizations of already-credentialed professionals is prohibited, and section 5757(a) does not provide any authority to pay such fees. DECISION Pursuant to 31 U.S.C. § 3529(a), a certifying officer at the Department of Agriculture's Risk Management Agency requested an advance decision whether section 5757(a) of title 5, United States Code, authorizes an agency to pay for an employee's membership in a professional association if membership is not a requirement for obtaining a license or certification. Section 5757(a) allows federal agencies to use appropriated funds to pay the expenses of an employee to obtain professional credentials. As explained below, section 5757(a) does not authorize agencies to pay for the membership of an employee in a professional association unless membership is a prerequisite for the employee to obtain required credentials, such as a license to practice a profession. Payment of the cost of voluntary membership in a group of professionals who are already credentialed is prohibited by 5 U.S.C. § 5946.

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