D.C. bonus panel reaps rich awards

The D.C. government executives who advise Mayor Anthony A. Williams and other high-level officials on which employees deserve bonuses are more likely than regular government workers to receive extra money in their paychecks.

Records obtained under the Freedom of Information Act show that five of the 10 members on the D.C. Incentive Awards Committee each received cash bonuses of thousands of dollars this summer after city officials lifted a freeze on giving monetary awards.

By contrast, less than 3 percent of about 20,000 D.C. workers eligible for cash rewards if they meet performance standards received bonus money this summer, according to Office of Personnel officials. The D.C. government gave 453 cash bonuses this year.

The disparity has sparked calls by two D.C. Council members for a review into how the District distributes cash awards. Metropolitan Police Department union leaders have complained that rank-and-file members have not received bonuses in at least three years.

The bonus policy came under scrutiny earlier this month after The Washington Times reported the D.C. government has handed out more than $3.9 million in incentive awards since 2001, including more than $740,000 this summer.

The bonuses were being distributed even as city officials renewed calls for more federal funding and congressional approval for a proposed tax on commuters.

D.C. government employees can receive cash awards “for overall performance that exceeds expectations, as evidenced by a current annual performance evaluation,” according to the District’s personnel manual.

Human resources officials in comparably sized Baltimore and in the country’s five most populated cities said they do not award city executives large bonuses, though employees in Philadelphia can earn as much as $2,000 for suggestions or innovations that result in savings.

Among those on the D.C. Incentive Awards Committee who received bonuses this summer were Leslie Hotaling, Craig Galloway, Jo Ellen Gray, William Howland and El Chino Martin.

Miss Hotaling makes $132,395 a year as director of the Department of Public Works and received $6,620 in extra pay.

Mr. Galloway, an executive in the Office of Operations, makes $72,331 a year and received an extra $2,000. Mr. Howland, who also works in the Office of Operations, earns $98,166 a year and received an extra $2,500.

Miss Gray, associate director of the Office of Personnel, earns $104,950 a year and received an extra $3,149. Mr. Martin, chief of staff of the Office of Deputy Mayor for Planning and Economic Development, earns $114,885 and received $5,589 extra.

None of the committee members voted to send bonus payments to themselves, according to personnel officials.

“Generally, the committee members recuse themselves from making awards within their own agencies, though they can contribute to the discussion,” said Randi Blank, spokeswoman for the Office of Personnel.

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