Much of the authority that agencies' leaders need to tailor human
capital strategies to their unique needs is already available under
current laws and regulations. Therefore, in setting goals for its human
capital program and developing the tailored workforce planning
strategies to achieve these goals, it is important for agencies to
identify and make use of all the appropriate administrative authorities
to build and maintain the workforce needed for the future. As our
December 2002 report states, this will involve agencies reexamining the
flexibilities provided to them under current authorities, and
identifying existing flexibilities that they could use more
extensively, to develop workforce planning strategies.[Footnote 19]
These flexibilities may include providing early separation and early
retirement incentives authorized by the Homeland Security Act of 2002,
recruitment and retention bonuses and allowances, alternative work
schedules, and special hiring authorities to recruit employees with
critical skills.[Footnote 20] (See fig. 4 for information on DOL's use
of flexibilities to recruit individuals with business skills.):