WASHINGTON – Sen. Chuck Grassley is insisting on answers from the Department of Homeland Security Office of Inspector General on why that office has employees who have been on paid administrative leave for significantly longer than any other agency, including nine employees on administrative leave for more than one year since fiscal year 2014, costing more than $2.1 million. Two of these employees have been on administrative leave for more than 7,000 hours -- approximately three-and-a-half years.
“Given OIG’s extensive use of administrative leave, including employees who have been on administrative leave for significantly longer than any other agency, it is imperative that OIG justify the use of such leave and provide information to the Committee on its policies regarding the use of such leave,” Grassley wrote to Inspector General John Roth. “This is both an unacceptable waste of taxpayers’ dollars and unfair to these employees whose careers have been left in limbo without any recourse.”
Grassley has been battling the extensive use of paid administrative leave throughout the government, working to get details on why employees are on paid leave. Some agencies have not been forthcoming with details, a source of frustration when public interest is at stake. Grassley has found that some agencies use paid administrative leave to avoid making decisions on employment matters. Other times, agencies use paid administrative leave to sideline whistleblowers.
Grassley is one of the authors of bipartisan legislation to better define the circumstances under which agencies may use paid administrative leave. The legislation was approved by unanimous voice vote by the Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee. “The goal is to make sure federal employees are working for taxpayers and not lingering on paid leave at taxpayer expense,” Grassley said.
Grassley’s letter to the Department of Homeland Security inspector general is available here.
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