U.S. Department of Labor wins 9th straight Certificate of Excellence in Accountability Reporting Award from Association of Government Accountants

WASHINGTON — The U.S. Department of Labor today announced that it has received its ninth successive Certificate of Excellence in Accountability Reporting (CEAR) Award from the Association of Government Accountants (AGA) for the department's outstanding fiscal year (FY) 2008 Performance and Accountability Report. Associate Deputy Chief Financial Officer for Fiscal Integrity Yoko Albayrak accepted the award on behalf of the department at a National Press Club ceremony last night in Washington.

"We are trying to fulfill the promise of full transparency and accountability to our stakeholders. Because the CEAR Award is the highest form of recognition in federal government management reporting, it is a real honor to receive the award for the ninth consecutive year," said Lisa D. Fiely, the Labor Department's acting chief financial officer.

The FY 2008 Performance and Accountability Report is the Labor Department's principal publication for the public to see how the department managed programs and resources. The report notes performance accomplishments and tells about the expenditure of public funds.

This department's FY 2008 Performance and Accountability Report also was ranked this month by George Mason University's Mercatus Center as the best in the federal government concerning accuracy, transparency and public benefit. Twenty-four agencies competed for that award.

CEAR Award recipients are determined by a panel of senior-level AGA members representing chief financial and inspector general offices, performance measurement experts and independent public accounting firms. The panel evaluated the department's report using AGA's reviewer guidelines, developed and discussed detailed recommendations for improving the report, and voted on whether to present the award.

The Office of the Chief Financial Officer leads the Department of Labor's financial management and fiscal integrity effort. For more information, visit http://www.dol.gov/ocfo/.

# # #