TSA scales back executive awards, boosts screener bonuses

The Transportation Security Administration scaled back executive bonuses for 2004, but increased cash bonuses given to lower-level staff and screeners at the nation's airports.

TSA doled out more than $20 million in cash bonuses to nonexecutives for 2004, while giving only about $540,000 in bonuses to executives, said TSA spokesman Darrin Kayser.

Additionally, the agency spent about $130,000 on awards ceremonies, which is much less than what was spent the previous year.

"TSA is committed to be a good steward of taxpayer dollars while recognizing the hard work of its screeners and staff," Kayser said. "Over 16 million prohibited items detected and a smooth holiday travel season are just [some] of the many reasons why we are providing bonuses to 60 percent of our nonexecutive workforce."

TSA employs about 50,000 non-Senior Executive Service employees, including about 45,000 rank-and-file screeners.

The agency came under fire in October when the Homeland Security Department's inspector general reported that TSA gave $1.45 million in bonuses at the end of 2003 to executives, and spent about $460,000 on a lavish annual awards program in Washington.

The report concluded that the average executive award for 2003 was about $16,500, which was higher than awards given by any other agency. In all, 88 executives received cash bonuses.

The report stated that while TSA was not able to provide full data on cash awards given to employees in lower grades, the information it did give indicated a "substantial inequity" between awards to executive and nonexecutive employees.

TSA defended its action, saying the bonus program followed all laws and regulations and covered a two-year work period.

Information obtained by Government Executive, however, shows that no executive worked for two years before receiving an award at the end of 2003. The average length of employment for each executive was 16 months, while 16 percent worked a year or less, according to agency data obtained through the Freedom of Information Act. Indeed, one executive received a $20,000 bonus after serving at TSA for only seven months.

Kayser said all of the 2003 bonuses were awarded within guidelines issued by the Office of Management and Budget, adding that TSA executives are not eligible for Presidential Rank Awards and did not receive pay increases during the agency's first year.

"During the period covered by the awards, 60-hour weeks were common, as herculean efforts were put forth to meet multiple congressional deadlines and build a brand new federal agency charged to protect Americans," Kayser said.

In 2004, 49 executives received cash bonuses totaling $537,618, Kayser said. The average award was $11,000. Comparatively, $20.7 million was given in cash bonuses to 60 percent of the agency's screeners and nonexecutive staff. The average bonus for rank and file employees was $660.

The TSA annual awards program was also significantly changed this year. The headquarters ceremony-held Dec. 16-was invitation only and cost only about $7,250. Individual airports held their own ceremonies between November and December, with expenses totaling about $122,000, Kayser said.