Despite a shaky economy and unemployment rate hovering around the 10 percent marker, the Obama Administration dished out more than $400 million in bonuses in 2009 to federal employees; up $80.8 million dollars from the previous year, according to the Daily Record. Bonuses given out ranged anywhere from $25 to $94,200 with the most being paid to a senior foreign affairs officer at the Department of State in Washington. The data comes from fiscal year 2009 salary report from the Office of Personnel Management, which showed that air traffic controllers and top managers in Washington fared the best.The largest individual awards were given to high ranking federal officials- $11.6 million handed out to 870 employees who were 'senior executives'. "There are 48 different awards categories, ranging from presidential bonuses to "administratively uncontrollable overtime." Not all awards are in cash. Individuals and group can be given time off for good work, which is still counted as compensation by OPM", as mentioned by the Daily Record. It should be noted that federal bonuses are less than that of the private sector, which totals around $150 billion annually. Despite an increase of $80.8 million in bonuses, President Obama also has not given out awards for employees in the Federal Office of the President, and has frozen the pay of senior White House staff who make more than $100,000 per year. The data was obtained using a Freedom of Information Request (FOIA) for 1.3 million employees, or around 65 percent of federal employees, by the Asbury Park Press.
