Bonuses for VA execs … a great waste of money
WSBTV.com has the story about how VA executives in Atlanta received bonuses despite issues within their realm of responsibility.
Despite the scandal engulfing the Atlanta VA Medical Center, Channel 2 Action News has uncovered the VA’s top executives have been pocketing large salary bonuses.
Those salaries are being paid with tax money and the tax money of veterans.
Channel 2’s Scott MacFarlane obtained records that show top brass throughout the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs have scored big bonus checks in recent months, including in Atlanta.
Despite a laundry list of findings, the Atlanta management has botched how it handled some of its high-risk patients that led to patient deaths, suicides, an overdose and a schizophrenic patient found roaming free inside the building.
Records show former Atlanta VA Medical Center Director James Clark pocketed a $13,000 bonus in 2011 and another $17,000 worth of salary bonuses in 2010.…
Those bonuses were given at roughly the same time period in which the audit said two Atlanta veterans showing suicidal tendencies sought help, got lost in red tape and then killed themselves.
It’s also about the same time another person with a history of substance abuse was overlooked and overdosed and died.
The report said a mental health patient managed to roam free in the building for hours and injected testosterone around the same time as well.
Giving a bonus to someone in government seems like a waste – unless they’ve done something to save the government even more money, i.e. the Waste, Fraud and Abuse program, which often rewards those whom point out ways the government can save money.
So, I have a serious question: Considering all the issues with both the benefits administration and the health administration at the VA, why do any bureaucrats at the VA get bonuses?
Cross posted from After the Army
Category: "Your Tax Dollars At Work"
Just criminal.
Damn.
I personally think VA executives should have the approval for their Monthly Salaries go through the same process as Pension Boards. The Bastards would shit bricks if it took them 6-18 months to get paid.
They may not be paid the bonus for what they were hired to do but what they were directed to do. Or not do, as the case more accurately might be made.
This has got to be a sin!
This is CRIMINAL !
Those fucknuts should have their salaries withheld until the backlog is near zero.
found the job I want, screw everything up and collect $20k bonus…wtf is wrong with these people’s thought process..
Bonuses are for performance above and beyond. So far, I ain’t seein’ it.
Criminal, simply criminal.
It’s friggin unbelievable. Only a few months back the Atlanta Va sent me a letter supposedly clarifying my status.They had my rating all screwed up. Completly wrong. I called the regional VA 800# to inquire WTF was going on. The VA rep actually told me to totally disregard any correspondence from the Atlanta VA as they were screwing up major and causing numerous headaches for not only veterans but other VA facilities trying to set the records straight. If anything, heads should roll in the Atlanta VA.
I’m from the government. I’m here to help.
The only scenario where I can imagine govt workers getting bonuses would be if the organization in question is an authority versus an agency; the distinction being that an authority has to actually make money (green dollars) and doesn’t get an appropriation (tax dollars). Clearly the VA doesn’t fall into that category.
I received bonuses when I worked in banking AND EXCEEDED PROFIT AND LOSS GOALS. Obviously not pay for performance at VA.
good to know that VA bureaucrats can get a bonus. I wonder if the money came from all the claims that weren’t approved?
All I can add is that all those morons that think Obamacare is going to be the greatest thing since sliced bread has never had to deal with the VA.
Didn’t the government recently demonize a bunch of execs who they felt didn’t deserve to earn their bonuses and try to tax them 100% on them because of it? As I remember, the execs signed a contract saying they would receive a salary of $1 for their company as long as they were guaranteed their bonuses.
Well, the VA hasn’t done ANYTHING for the vets it was designed to help, except to create a back log and tell amputees that their injuries could be considered per-existing injuries (no shit, one guy in Oregon was actually told that).
I think the government should tax these execs 100% of their bonuses for doing absolutely dick.
@16
Didn’t the government recently demonize a bunch of execs who they felt didn’t deserve to earn their bonuses and try to tax them 100% on them because of it?
Well yah. But that was before the election.
In an effort to be more like the private sector Wall Street banking firms the VA has chosen to reward a consistently failing effort with bonuses that have no actual bearing on performance or outcome….
Who says government can’t be more like the private sector? They sure are trying…
“A Great Waste of Money”
Ummm, no.
‘Criminal’ and ‘VA Execs reward themselves to the money meant for hundreds of thousands of deserving veterans’
Those are better headlines, IMO
I am a new VA worker in Birmingham. The thing that has amazed me the most about working for VA is the absolute waste of funds that they do. No one seems to care and it will continue. They really stress the mind your on business rule. ALl VAs should be looked at strongly and correct the waste.