A "culture of complacency" has allowed
employees of the Environmental Protection Agency to get away with timesheet fraud, watching pornography on duty and moonlighting while on the clock, Inspector General Arthur A. Elkins Jr. said in his report filed last week.
The report cited six "management challenges" the EPA needs to address, including not taking swift action against employees who disregard the rules.
One issue involved employee leave. According to the report, eight employees have had administrative leave totaling 20,926 hours, costing the government an estimated $1.1 million. Employees often are placed on paid leave while misconduct is being investigated or if the employee appeals punitive action.
The report also cited several instances in which no disciplinary action was taken at all or it was significantly delayed.
In one case, a senior executive employee failed to oversee another employees travel vouchers and record of work attendance for 10 years. A report was filed in April 2014, and the employee retired in February without any action being taken.
Another employee was found to be running a private business while on the clock for the federal government. During the time the employee was being investigated, he or she was given a Presidential Meritorious Rank Award for $33,928. That employee is on paid leave while appealing his/her firing.
Two employees were found to be viewing and downloading pornography on company computers, spending up to six hours a day doing so. Notices of termination were given in March. One retired and the other is on paid leave.
The Washington Post notes that federal employees have far more rights in appealing firings and disciplinary actions, but the IG report said that still, "The agency needs to continue to confront this culture of complacency. Failure to do so could seriously affect agency resources, impacting the ability of the agency to achieve its mission and goals."
Administrator Gina McCarthy now seems to be taking action, the Post reported, quoting from a memo sent to EPA employees urging them to report misconduct.
"I expect all employees to report fraud, waste and abuse to the OIG if they see it," the memo reads. "The types of conduct that should be reported include: theft of EPA funds, misuse of contract or grant monies, misuse of EPA equipment or assets for personal gain, falsification of EPA reports or records, serious employee misconduct, or participation in EPA program fraud."
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