Let's see how DOGE is "saving" money. And this is just the Education department. Across all the departments the cost is probably hundreds of millions. 'Like a parasite': Cost-slashing backfires as workers paid $21M to do nothing https://www.rawstory.com/trump-department-of-education-2672334810/ The U.S. Department of Education is paying millions to employees forced to go on leave by the Trump administration, according to a union analysis. The American Federation of Government Employees Local 252, which represents DOE workers, found the endangered agency was paying more than $7 million a month to laid-off workers – more than $21 million over the past three months – after the administration cut nearly half of its workforce, CNN reported. "The firings were part of President Donald Trump’s larger plan to dismantle the Department of Education and promise to deliver efficiencies through cuts across government," the network reported. "Dozens of other agencies have faced cuts in recent months, with workers in those departments facing similar situations." The laid-off workers were told their salaries would be paid until June 9, their last day of employment, a federal court decision last month blocking White House plans to shut down the Education Department also reinstated the workers and placed them on administrative leave as the legal challenges play out — which leaves them technically employed but not allowed to work. "It feels like garbage to receive pay in exchange for doing nothing,” said Ariel Shepetovskiy, a Department of Education lawyer. “I also feel shame because on some level I feel like a parasite for American taxpayers.” “If I leave my position then there’s no chance of me ever being able to do my job again," she added, saying she hoped to continue her work for the department. “I’m trying to do my best to be productive, but I am also sad. I am frustrated and upset every day.” Their salaries will continue past Monday, but workers describe their status as “administrative purgatory" and report feeling guilty about receiving the payments without being allowed to do their jobs. "I feel like I am on welfare,” said data coordinator Robert Jason Cottrell. “I almost feel like a leech on the system. I am able-bodied and able to go into work to help the nation’s mission to educate our future generations, and I’m not doing that right now.” The agency told workers Friday they would continue to be employed but department leaders were trying to determine how to reintegrate them back into the office, according to an email reviewed by CNN, but some DOE employees say they've been offered offered settlements in exchange for resigning their positions – which some of them say felt "scammy." The deals appeared to be attempts to “intimidate great public servants to leave their jobs," said Sheria Smith, president of AFGE Local 252 in Dallas.
https://www.dailywire.com/news/usai...-guilty-to-half-billion-dollar-bribery-scheme USAID Official, Three Contractors Plead Guilty To Half-Billion Dollar Bribery Scheme