Weather Service official creates new job, takes it himself for a $43,200 raise
An investigation by the inspector general of the U.S. Commerce Department has revealed alleged shenanigans at the National Weather Service.
According to the report, an official at the agency created a job description and salary for a consulting position just before he retired. The official then reportedly returned to work to do that very job, which gave him a $43,200 raise from his previous post.
P. Donald Jiron, the deputy chief financial officer in question, retired in May 2010 — before being re-hired as a consultant the very next day, The Washington Post reports. But the inspector general eventually agreed with Jiron's lawyer that the agency, not the former CFO, was really to blame. The investigation suggested that the practice is common in the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Association (NOAA).
Subscribe to The Week
Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.
Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
"This contract may be indicative of a routine and troubling practice at NOAA of hiring former employees as contractors for purposes of carrying out similar duties to those they performed prior to leaving federal service," the investigators wrote in their report. The Post notes that by the time Jiron was fired, 21 months after accepting the consultant position, he had received another $471,875.34 from the government.
Create an account with the same email registered to your subscription to unlock access.
Sign up for Today's Best Articles in your inbox
A free daily email with the biggest news stories of the day – and the best features from TheWeek.com
Meghan DeMaria is a staff writer at TheWeek.com. She has previously worked for USA Today and Marie Claire.
-
What happens if TikTok is banned?
Today's Big Question Many are fearful that TikTok's demise could decimate the content creator community
By Justin Klawans, The Week US Published
-
The unparalleled leader of the gentle parenting movement
In the Spotlight Dr. Becky became the face of a revolution in how we treat our children
By David Faris Published
-
One Great Cookbook: Madhur Jaffrey's 'Vegetarian India'
The Week Recommends The 2015 tome will reshape how you think about both vegetables and Indian food
By Scott Hocker, The Week US Published
-
Puffed rice and yoga: inside the collapsed tunnel where Indian workers await rescue
Speed Read Workers trapped in collapsed tunnel are suffering from dysentery and anxiety over their rescue
By Sorcha Bradley, The Week UK Published
-
More than 2,000 dead following massive earthquake in Morocco
Speed Read
By Justin Klawans Published
-
Mexico's next president will almost certainly be its 1st female president
Speed Read
By Peter Weber Published
-
North Korea's Kim to visit Putin in eastern Russia to discuss arms sales for Ukraine war, U.S. says
Speed Read
By Peter Weber Published
-
Gabon's military leader sworn in following coup in latest African uprising
Speed Read
By Justin Klawans Published
-
Nobody seems surprised Wagner's Prigozhin died under suspicious circumstances
Speed Read
By Peter Weber Published
-
Western mountain climbers allegedly left Pakistani porter to die on K2
Speed Read
By Justin Klawans Published
-
'Circular saw blades' divide controversial Rio Grande buoys installed by Texas governor
Speed Read
By Peter Weber Published