WASHINGTON — Scores of federal employees have been placed on paid leave, allowing them to collect paychecks while they await word on whether they will be disciplined for misbehavior, The Washington Post reports.
A report by the Government Accountability Office shows, during a three-year period that ended in September 2013, federal agencies placed more than 57,000 workers on paid leave. The tab for the leave added up to more than $775 million in salaries.
Most of the employees were sidelined for one to three months, according to the Post.
However, thousands spent more than three months away from work.
Some were on paid leave for up to three years.
Auditors say paid leave usually came as a response to allegations of some type of misconduct.
Employees were told to stay home while their cases are reviewed — the outcome of which can be discipline or being cleared.
But, according to the Post, under guidelines from the Office of Personnel Management, paid leave should only be used as a last resort in “rare circumstances.”
While on paid leave, not only can the sidelined workers collect paychecks, they can build their pensions, accumulate vacation and sick days and move up the federal pay scale, the Post reports.
Aside from the OPM guidelines, there are no concrete laws that lay out rules for when paid leave can be used.
Sen. Charles E. Grassley, R-Iowa, wants to change that.
“A large number of people have been on administrative leave for far too long,” says Grassley.
Grassley is among a handful of lawmakers who asked for the government audit.
“I’m going to try to put in some bipartisan legislation,” says Grassley.
“It’s very important for Congress to enact some policy in this area.”
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