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Tampa, Florida - Double dipping DCF employees cost hundreds of millions



 
 
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Old June 14th 08, 11:46 PM posted to alt.support.child-protective-services,alt.support.foster-parents,alt.dads-rights.unmoderated,alt.parenting.spanking
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Default Tampa, Florida - Double dipping DCF employees cost hundreds of millions

Double dipping public employees cost hundreds of millions
Posted by Mike Deeson

http://www.tampabays10.com/news/loca...=82536&catid=8

Tampa, Florida - It is the agency that looks to protect the most
vulnerable people in Florida. However, The Department of Children and
Families is facing tough times. The legislature cut $60 million from the
DCF budget and the agency is losing 270 positions.

For 243 mostly high levels DCF employees the budget cutbacks and
elimination of positions don't mean a thing because they have retired
from the agency. However after they retired these 243 employees were
hired back into their same job at the same salary.

The rehired or double dipping employees in this region include
Operations Manager Margaret Fender, who retired with an $89,559.60
salary. Fender was rehired at the same $89,559.60 and then promoted to a
$98,515.56 salary. Manager Michael Simmons, who retired at $83,501.60,
was rehired for the same amount. Program manager Deborah Spellman, who
retired at $70,142.28, was rehired for her same salary. All of these
employees are members of what's called the Deferred Retirement Options
Plan or DROP. DROP guarantees public employees a lump sum payment, plus
retirement benefits five years after enrolling in the program.

New Port Richey State Senator, Mike Fasano says the DROP program was
designed to weed out high paid public employees and then bring in new
employees at lower salary. However Fasano says people are not doing that
because they've found a loophole and are double dipping.

Fasano says the double dippers and the agencies that hire them are
breaking a promise to the taxpayers. Fasano points out that the public
employees were guaranteed a lump sum payment and retirement benefits as
long as they retired after five years in the DROP program, but he says
too many refuse to do it.

DCF Regional Director Nick Cox says he understands how some people might
be upset by double dippers, but he says it is not agency policy instead
it is a loophole created by the legislature. Cox also says he needs the
experience of the people who have been rehired at DCF.

Fasano says he has heard that argument and doesn't buy it.

The double dipping has a huge price for taxpayers. The state estimates
it costs more than $300,000,000 each year to pay retirement benefits and
salaries to double dippers.

Fasano tried to close the loophole in the past session of the
legislature but the bill died. He says the only way it will stop is if
taxpayers contact their lawmakers and tell them they don't like the
practice.

 




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