Trump administration has fired more than 500 VA employees since January
by Sarah Westwood | Jul 7, 2017, 12:09 PM

Department of Veterans Affairs officials have fired more than 500 misbehaving employees since January, according to data posted online Friday.

VA Secretary David Shulkin touted his agency's decision to publish its efforts to hold VA employees accountable, unveiling new requirements for updating the public on personnel actions.

"Veterans and taxpayers have a right to know what we're doing to hold our employees accountable and make our personnel actions transparent," Shulkin said in a statement. "Posting this information online for all to see, and updating it weekly, will do just that."

The VA has removed 526 employees since Jan. 20, according to the accountability report released on Friday. Agency officials have demoted another 27 employees and temporarily suspended an additional 194 employees for longer than two weeks. The list does not include the employees' names but shows their positions.

"In addition to posting the adverse action information, Secretary Shulkin announced that he is requiring approval by a senior official of any monetary settlement with an employee over the amount of $5,000," the VA noted Friday. "Any settlement above this amount will require the personal approval of the undersecretary, assistant secretary or equivalent senior-level official within the organization in which the dispute occurs."

Shulkin highlighted the new disclosure policy as part of his efforts to change the "culture" at the VA.

Shulkin's predecessor, Robert McDonald, was criticized for misrepresenting the number of VA employees fired for their involvement in covering up long delays in healthcare at VA hospitals.

McDonald was caught obscuring the number of VA employees disciplined for misconduct on several occasions as his agency suffered scrutiny of the perceived lack of accountability for its employees.

President Trump has vowed to rid the VA of officials who misbehave or fail to meet agency standards.


http://www.washingtonexaminer.com/trump-...article/2627988

Slowly bringing accountability to the VA