Despite scandals that engulfed the Department of Veterans Affairs — outrageous waits for medical care, a culture of coverups and a billion dollar construction fiasco in Colorado — 2014 was a banner year at the VA for one thing: performance bonuses. The agency doled out more than $140 million in taxpayer-funded awards for performance to nearly half of the VA’s 340,000 employees, according to data provided to USA TODAY by the House Veterans' Affairs Committee.
Rewarding excellence is a proven way to motivate workers and attract top talent, but it’s hard to fathom that half of the employees at the scandal-plagued agency were deserving, particularly several recipients who have been called to account in various scandals.
Read Full Article »