Government Doles Out Generous Bonuses To Its Workers

A new database shows that the government not only paid a massive $105 billion in salaries last year to its civilian workforce, it also munificently gave out $439 billion in bonuses.

This startling information was obtained by the Asbury Park Press through a Freedom of Information request, exposing popular belief that government workers, work for less salaries in lieu of job security and benefits.

James Sherk, senior policy analysts with the conservative Heritage Foundation said, “They get better pay and they especially get better benefits.”

The database allows users to enter a federal workers name and the department for which he works and then asses his salary details. The results make for some eye-opening revelations.

The average salary, for federal employees in New Jersey was $83,749. There were many senior executives who drew six-figure salaries.

Specific examples reveal that the Attorney General Eric Holder makes $199,700. Ironically, Jeff Neely, who was suspended following the Las Vegas convention scandal, was getting $172,000.

The database shows that the government has been very openhanded in doling out bonuses, with quite a few in the 10,000+ range. In the Justice Department the highest bonus was $37,505. For the Agriculture Department, it was slightly less than double at $62,895.

Moira Mack, a spokeswoman for the Office of Management and Budget, speaking to the Asbury Park Press said that the administration has “eliminated bonuses for all political appointees.” The administration, she added, has also “directed agencies to adopt more rigorous personnel management processes, and set a cap to reduce spending on awards for career staff, saving taxpayers an estimated $200 million this year alone.”

Even though the Office of the Personnel Management says that the bonuses are an incentive for better performance, Sherk said that, only a few bonuses are being handed out on merit. “The vast majority” he said, are automatic, “just for sitting in their seat. They could be playing solitaire all day and still get the same pay increase as the best and most productive workers,” he concluded.

Grant Cardone of Los Angeles, a regular commentator for Fox Business News said, “This is the same president that criticized the banks for distributing bonuses when they were under — some of them involuntarily — government support. Federal employees are already overpaid and coddled with pensions and a variety of benefits…. How many roads could have been fixed or people put to work with this money?”