You won't have me to kick around anymore . . .
Posted on 12/02/2004 2:14:18 PM PST by KeyLargo
Daschle staffers to get severance
By Denise Ross, Journal Staff Writer
The U.S. Senate unanimously approved two months' worth of severance pay for the employees of Sen. Tom Daschle, D-S.D., in the wake of his Nov. 2 defeat by Republican John Thune.
As one of their last acts before they adjourned in the early morning hours of Nov. 21, senators voted to change the rules governing the chamber to provide the severance pay and benefits package, which is expected to cost taxpayers at least $656,480.
Such severance packages have not been extended to staff members of defeated senators in the past.
Daschle has about 80 employees at his South Dakota field offices, his Senate office on Capitol Hill and his Senate minority leader office in the Capitol itself.
The $656,480 estimate comes from multiplying the estimated number of employees eligible for severance by two months' worth of the average annual salary — $49,236 — of a Senate employee. The cost of benefits has not been figured in.
That average salary comes from a 2001 report released by the Congressional Management Foundation, a nonprofit, nonpartisan organization in Washington, D.C.
The severance pay will begin after Thune is sworn in Tuesday, Jan. 4.
The severance package is the result of Senate Resolution No. 478, a rule change that amends earlier resolutions granting similar severance packages to employees of senators who die while in office or resign.
The resolution grants severance pay to employees of all senators defeated in an election, but this year, only Daschle fits that category.
Under the resolution, such severance pay will be granted in the future to the staff members of defeated senators.
Aides must have worked for a senator for a minimum of 183 days to get the severance package. According to The Hill newspaper, severance payments would stop after eligible staffers get new jobs.
In addition, The Hill reported that the rule change "applies the benefit to the Senate's president pro tempore emeritus, a title created for Sen. Robert Byrd (D-W.Va.), who gave up the office of president pro tempore to Sen. Ted Stevens (R-Alaska) when Republicans regained control of the Senate. Byrd was able to maintain his chauffeur-driven Cadillac and a small staff when he assumed the emeritus post."
Contact Denise Ross at 394-8438 or denise.ross@rapidcityjournal.com
You're right. I should have kept my mouth shut. Members of congress or their staff shouldn't get golden parachutes unless they're willing to take gunfire.
You won't have me to kick around anymore . . .
No.
Liberals hanging their head in shame... Not in my lifetime.
(They invented this stuff).
Now I understand why the French guillotined the monarchy.
"Daschle staffers to get severance"
Is there any way we can arrange for that to be an Iraqi-style severance package?
I'm going to be sick...
Maybe just once the French got something right.
One last mouthful at the public trough ...
Gosh at least they could have limited it to defeated Senators in leadership positions. They do have extra staff beyond what a "regular" senator would have.
I wouldn't give any of them anything. They have plenty of advance notice. Months. That's way more notice than I got when I got Clintonsized back in '98. I got a few hours notice. (I did get a small severance package, in lieu of notice, and a longer extension of pay and benefits in return for agreeing not to sue for age discrimination, I'd worked at the company and it's predecessor for 21 1/2 years.)
The law only requires severance pay in lieu of notice, and even then only if it's significant change in employment level. If there some minimum (30 or 60 days?) notice, then no severance is required. Many companies elect to give pay instead, fearing sabotage and the chilling effect on the moral of those not laid off of having them around for such a period of time.
That only applies if there is a signifcant change in employement at a given location and actually requires 60 days notice of such change, or some combination of severance and notice to total 60 days.
I don't object to Byrds limo, because it keeps one old senile fool from endangering the populace. From a physical standpoint anyway.
The guy can barely drool without assistance.
Sad, sad, sad. Liberals everywhere should be hanging their heads in shame.
Dan, Sorry to inform you of this, but liberals are incapable of expressing shame.
You must be one of those anti-Bush bastards who hate the GOP. /sarcasm
Is this customary?
80 employees?????????????????????????
To do what? And isn't that about half the population of SD?
Daschle staffers to get severance"
Is there any way we can arrange for that to be an Iraqi-style severance package?
So, that means our men in uniform should get a severence when they separate, right?
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