Jul 20, 2009

AFGE Newsletter Critical Of Social Security Management

Council 220 of the American Federation of Government Employees (AFGE), a union which represents most Social Security employees has issued its July 2009 newsletter. Here is a little excerpt from one article:
Nepotism is alive and well at Social Security -- and Union officials believe some managers are using the Federal Career Intern Program (FCIP) as a way to bring their family members and friends into the agency.
I do not have a dog in the fight over FCIP. However, my gut feeling based upon only limited knowledge of the program is that Social Security management needs to think about whether extensive use of FCIP is a good idea. Council 220 goes over the top at times, but that does not mean that they are always wrong.

And there is also this information in the newsletter:
Senior Executive Service (SES) Performance Awards were given on December 24, 2006 (Christmas Eve) to the following individuals. They are considered 2007 awards:
  • Linda McMahon, Deputy Commissioner for Operations $25,000
  • Milt Beever, Associate Commissioner, Office of Labor- Management and Employee Relations (OLMER) $8,000]
Regional Commissioners:
  • Paul Barnes (Atlanta) $22,000
  • Nancy Berryhill (Denver) $14,000
  • Beatrice M. Disman (New York) $25,000
  • Michael Grochowski (Kansas City) $10,000
  • James F. Martin (Chicago) $12,000
  • Carl L. Rabun (Seattle) $10,000
  • Ramona Schuenemeyer (Dallas) $8,000
  • Manuel J. Vaz (Boston) $20,000
  • Laurie B. Watkins (Philadelphia) $20,000
More award money was also given throughout 2008. Most of them were SES Performance Awards and were announced on March 14 (except where noted).
  • Paul Barnes $22,000
  • Milt Beever $12,500
  • Nancy Berryhill $17,500
  • Beatrice Disman $26,150
  • Michael Grochowski $13,500
  • James F. Martin $12,000
  • Linda McMahon $26,150
  • Ramona Schuenemeyer (SES Rank Award; Sept. 30) $32,975
  • Ramona Schuenemyer $21,750
  • Pete Spencer (San Francisco Regional Commissioner) $26,150
  • Manuel J. Vaz (SES Rank Award; Sept. 30) $59,897
  • Manuel J. Vaz $23,375
  • Laurie Watkins $21,250
TOTAL for both years: $489,197

4 comments:

Anonymous said...

Wow. And most of the attorneys in our office, including me, were turned down for "measly" $1,500 ROC awards.

Anonymous said...

The government needs to bring back the Civil Service and Junior Federal Assistant tests.

Then you hire the people that score the highest on the tests for the number of positions that you need.

This would be the fair way to hire people, except in New Haven, Connecticut.

Anonymous said...

Mr. Vaz you earned all that money for what?

Anonymous said...

Just curious but I wonder if there's info out there regarding awards given out to SES execs in other Federal agencies? Might be good to compare expenditures and see how the SSA folks stack up with other higherups.