A three-part law produced one used authority
From July 2024 through June 2026, the Nuclear Regulatory Commission lost about 500 staff net, most through voluntary retirements, GAO found. The ADVANCE Act gave NRC direct-hire, compensation-flexibility and bonus authorities in July 2024.
By July 2026, NRC had used only the bonus authority: $335,000 in performance bonuses to 18 staff, an average of about $18,611 each. It had not used direct hire or compensation flexibility. The average is a newsroom calculation and does not describe individual awards.
| Authority | Use by July 2026 | Record |
|---|---|---|
| Direct hire | Not used | GAO finding |
| Compensation flexibility | Not used | GAO finding |
| Hiring/performance bonuses | Used for performance bonuses | $335,000 to 18 staff |
The planning tool was delayed
NRC said it needed a comprehensive workforce evaluation before fully deploying the authorities. Its NEXUS tool, intended to identify critical needs and forecast performance, had been delayed multiple times and was then planned for the first quarter of fiscal 2027.
GAO also found NRC had no metrics to assess whether the new authorities improved hiring or retention. That left the regulator without a completed needs map or a defined scorecard as it anticipated more advanced-reactor applications.
Agency explanations limit the conclusion
NRC cited a recent reorganization and the need to finish the workforce inventory. Officials and most stakeholders told GAO the new authorities could help but might not be sufficient to close the gaps.
The record does not establish that using direct hire earlier would have prevented the staff losses, or that every departure represented a mission-critical vacancy. It establishes unused tools, a delayed assessment and no effectiveness metrics.
Method and limitation
The newsroom reconciled the staffing period, authority use and recommendation status and calculated the mean bonus. GAO recommended finalizing NEXUS on the planned schedule and establishing metrics; both recommendations were open.
Net staff loss does not equal gross departures and hiring separately. The public summary does not show division-level vacancies, workload or licensing delays.