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Washington • A Homeland Security employee was placed on paid leave for three years, gathering about $455,000 in salary and benefits, while under investigation. An Environmental Protection Agency worker sat on leave for seven months after being arrested on drug possession.
Another EPA employee was paid leave for a year — at an annual salary of $120,000 — after reports of watching pornography on the job.
Those are just a few examples Rep. Jason Chaffetz, R-Utah, cited in explaining his legislation to limit administrative leave to two weeks.
"We cannot use tax dollars to pay misbehaving, or poor performing, federal employees not to work," said Chaffetz, the chairman of the House Oversight and Government Reform Committee. "What's worse, these employees are not facing timely disciplinary action, if disciplinary action at all, for their performance issues."
The House agreed Tuesday, passing Chaffetz's legislation to limit paid leave for federal employees. The two-week limit can be extended by 30-day increments with notice to Congress, the measure says. It passed the House on a voice vote. The Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee passed a similar bill in February.
Chaffetz says hundreds — if not thousands — of federal employees are under investigation for significant misconduct and remain on leave "for far longer than is necessary." He says often the employees are left on leave because it's easier than pursuing sanctions or firings.