On Fri, 15 Oct 2004 14:24:25 -0600, Newps wrote
in ::
Larry Dighera wrote:
On Fri, 15 Oct 2004 18:23:41 GMT, "Roger Long"
wrote in ::
Doing it the way we did it though was tragically stupid.
This...
So is the TSA. They just got caught by the IG giving 76% of their
employees bonuses,
Then this...
Only 2% of line workers got bonuses.
These two cannot be reconciled. The vast majority of the TSA is the
baggage screeners.
You're correct. This is what was said:
The inspector general also expressed concern that the TSA was more
generous than most other federal agencies in awarding bonuses to
executives. Federal agencies on average gave cash awards to 49
percent of their executives in 2002, while 76 percent of TSA
executives received them in 2003.
Here's a source:
http://seattlepi.nwsource.com/nation...Pric ey+Party
Thursday, October 14, 2004 · Last updated 9:00 a.m. PT
AP: Report finds lavish spending at TSA
By LESLIE MILLER
ASSOCIATED PRESS WRITER
WASHINGTON -- The government agency in charge of airport security
spent nearly a half-million dollars on an awards ceremony at a lavish
hotel, including $81,000 for plaques and $500 for cheese displays,
according to an internal report obtained by The Associated Press.
Awards were presented to 543 Transportation Security Administration
employees and 30 organizations, including a "lifetime achievement
award" for one worker with the 2-year-old agency. Almost $200,000 was
spent on travel and lodging for attendees.
The investigation by the Homeland Security Department's inspector
general, Clark Kent Ervin, also found the TSA gave its senior
executives bonuses averaging $16,000, higher than at any other federal
government agency, and failed to provide adequate justification in
more than a third of the 88 cases examined.
The report said lower-level employees were shortchanged, with a far
lower percentage receiving bonuses.
"A substantial inequity exists in TSA's performance recognition
program between executive and non-executive employees," the report
said.
TSA spokeswoman Amy von Walter said the agency believes the bonuses
and party were justified "given the hours and productivity of the work
force during this critical period."
This year, said von Walter, the TSA will conduct awards ceremonies at
individual airports, as well as a much smaller and less expensive
event at its headquarters in November.
Congressional skeptics have criticized the TSA's hiring and spending
practices during its short existence. Republicans say the agency has
grown far larger than they envisioned when it was created following
the Sept. 11, 2001, attacks.
Ervin also is investigating why the agency's private recruiters worked
out of lush resort hotels with golf courses, pools and spas.
Sen. Byron Dorgan, D-N.D., said that he had not seen the full report
but that it indicated "a colossal waste of money."
"There's something terribly wrong with that agency," Dorgan said. "Of
all the agencies, that's the one that's supposed to be working
full-time against terrorist attacks."
The awards banquet, which cost $461,745, was held at the Grand Hyatt,
which bills itself as "one of the most magnificent" hotels in the
nation's capital. According to the report, the agency chose that site
because it was the only hotel available on Nov. 19, 2003, the agency's
second anniversary. It also was one of the few places that could
accommodate about 600 honorees and as many guests.
While the inspector general noted the agency sought competitive bids
for the party planner and chose the company with the lowest estimate,
it found the "costs of the ceremony and reception were higher than
necessary."
The event planning company, MarCom Group Inc. of Fairfax, Va., was
paid $85,552 for its work and given an additional $81,767 for plaques,
$5,196 for official photographs, $1,486 for three balloon arches and
$1,509 for signs.
The reception included finger food, coffee and cake that averaged $33
per person. Seven cakes cost a total of $1,850; three cheese displays,
$1,500.
In a written response, the TSA said the costs "were neither
extraordinary nor incurred without careful consideration of the
amount, the reasonableness of the cost, and value the activities would
have to the employees."
The inspector general also expressed concern that the TSA was more
generous than most other federal agencies in awarding bonuses to
executives. Federal agencies on average gave cash awards to 49 percent
of their executives in 2002, while 76 percent of TSA executives
received them in 2003.
The inspector general reviewed 88 employees' files and found that 38
percent "had no individual recommendation and justification for the
performance award."
"The legitimacy of such large awards is called into question by the
lack of an appropriate selection process and the reliance on
boilerplate justifications that could be applicable to anyone," the
report said.
The report also noted that fewer than 3 percent of nonexecutive
employees received bonuses in 2003.
In its response, the TSA said that executives who got a bonus didn't
get a pay increase and weren't eligible for a presidential awards
program that can amount to as much as 35 percent of their base pay.
The agency agreed, however, that more could be done to equalize
treatment of top executives and lower-level employees.
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