wastebook2014

WASTEBOOK 20141101$19 millionPaid Vacations forBureaucrats Gone WildCHARGING BOOZE AND PERSONAL TRIPS ON THE OFFICE CREDIT CARD.PASSING OUT ON THE JOB AFTER A LATE NIGHT PARTYING. WASTING MOST OF THEWORK DAY SURFING FOR SMUT ON OFFICE COMPUTERS. MAKING UNWANTEDSEXUAL ADVANCES. USING AN OFFICE LAPTOP TO SEND EXPLICIT IMAGES.Any one of these outrageous behaviors would be reason enoughfor most to be fired… unless, of course, you are on the federalgovernment’s payroll, in which case you might instead get a paidvacation lasting months or even years.Rather than disciplining employees who are underperformingor even engaging in criminal mischief, federal bureaucrats placetroublesome employees on “administrative leave,” where they continueto get paid but are essentially relieved of their duties including havingto report to work or do work. A federal employment attorney callsadministrative leave “the government’s dirty little secret.” 17Officially, administrative leave is an “excused absence” 18 withpay and continuation of other benefits, such as health insurance, lifeinsurance, and retirement plans, that is not charged as annual leave orvacation. In 2014, eleven federal agencies spent at least $50 millionpaying the salaries of government employees on administrative leavestatus, one-third of which was for disciplinary reasons. 19Administrative leave is not just a discipline tool as agenciesutilize administrative leave for any number of purposes. Some receiveadministrative leave for more noble purposes, such as organ donationor volunteering. Others get paid time off to recover from an overseastrip, to attend a conference, to conduct union activities, or to go toa parade. 20 Some administrators abuse it to remove and isolatewhistleblowers. 21 The Pentagon’s police chief encouraged employeesto take administrative leave to go golfing. 22 Several agencies evenallow paid leave to attend Mardi Gras. 23 These federal employees areliterally being paid to party!4