Paid Leave materials provided to Rep. Issa and Sen. Grassley (Department of Veterans Affairs)

Michael Morisy filed this request with the Department of Veterans Affairs - Office of Deputy Assistant Secretary for Human Resources Management of the United States of America.
Tracking #

15-05559-F

Due July 6, 2015
Est. Completion None
Status
Awaiting Response

Communications

From: Michael Morisy

To Whom It May Concern:

This is a request under the Freedom of Information Act. I hereby request the following records:

Communications between this agency and the offices of Sen. Chuck Grassley and Rep. Darell Issa regarding their office's queries on the use of paid leave by this agency, as well as any materials or presentations prepared for or provided to the offices of Grassley and Issa as part of this agency's response to their inquiries.

These queries are noted publicly here:

http://www.grassley.senate.gov/news/news-releases/grassley-issa-seek-agency-explanation-federal-workers-long-term-paid-leave

And the existence of responsive materials is noted publicly here:

“We’re still analyzing the responses but what we’re seeing so far causes concern,” Grassley said in a statement Wednesday. “The responding agencies spent tens of millions of dollars in one year alone to put employees on administrative leave for one month or more, often when administrative leave wasn’t the most appropriate action to take. Agencies need to do a better job of protecting the taxpayers from abusively long or inappropriate paid leave.”

As reported by the Washington Post here:

http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/federal-eye/wp/2014/10/22/paid-not-to-work-for-a-year-or-more-gop-lawmakers-ask-federal-agencies-why/

Grassley and Issa wrote to the Department of Health and Human Services; the Social Security Administration; the Treasury Department; the Department of Veterans Affairs; the Small Business Administration; the Agency for International Development; the Department of Housing and Urban Development; the Department of the Interior; the Environmental Protection Agency; the Department of Energy; the Department of Defense; the Department of Commerce; the Department of Agriculture; the National Aeronautics and Space Administration; the Office of Personnel Management; the Department of Transportation; and the Department of Homeland Security.

The requested documents will be made available to the general public, and this request is not being made for commercial purposes.

In the event that fees cannot be waived, I would be grateful if you would inform me of the total charges in advance of fulfilling my request. I would prefer the request filled electronically, by e-mail attachment if available or CD-ROM if not.

Thank you in advance for your anticipated cooperation in this matter. I look forward to receiving your response to this request within 20 business days, as the statute requires.

Sincerely,

Michael Morisy

From: VACO FOIA Service Inbox

Mr. Morisy,

This email is to acknowledge receipt of your June 6, 2015, Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) request to the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) seeking records pertaining to communications between the VA and “Sen. Chuck Grassley and Rep. Darrell Issa regarding their office’s queries on the use of paid leave by this agency…”

The FOIA Service received your request on June 8, 2015, and assigned it tracking number 15-05559-F. Please refer to this number when communicating with this office about this request.

Sincerely,

Diane Cooke
Department of Veterans Affairs
Office of Privacy and Records Management
FOIA Service (005R1C)
Phone: 202-632-7419
Fax: 202-632-7581
Hotline: 1-877-750-3642

From: VACO FOIA Service Inbox

Dear Mr. Morisy,

This is concerning your June 6, 2015, Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) request to the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) seeking “communications between this agency and the offices of Sen. Chuck Grassley and Rep. Darell Issa regarding their office’s quiries on the use of paid leave by this agency, as well as any materials or presentations prepared for or provided to the offices of Grassley and Issa as part of this agency’s response to their inquiries.”

The FOIA Service received your request on June 8, 2015, and assigned it tracking number 15-05559-F. Please refer to this number when communicating with the VA about your request.

The records you seek are not located in this office. The records, if they exist, would most likely be maintained by the Office of Deputy Assistant Secretary for Human Resources Management. Therefore, we have redirected your request to that office to conduct a search and direct reply to you. If you have any questions about the status of your request, please contact them directly at the address below:

Department of Veterans Affairs
Office of Deputy Assistant Secretary for
Human Resources Management (054A)
FOIA Officer: Jean Hayes
810 Vermont Avenue, NW
Washington, DC 20420 Phone: 202-461-7863 / Fax: 202-273-7871

This concludes the FOIA Service’s response to your request.

We appreciate your patience and interest in the Department of Veterans Affairs. Customer service is very important to us. If you have any questions about this email, please contact me.

Sincerely,

Diane Cooke
Department of Veterans Affairs
Office of Privacy and Records Management
FOIA Service (005R1C)
Phone: 202-632-7419
Fax: 202-632-7581
Hotline: 1-877-750-3642

From: MuckRock

To Whom It May Concern:

This FOIA request is being forwarded to your office for processing. Confirmation of receipt and an estimated date of completion would be greatly appreciated.

Thank you.

_____________________

To Whom It May Concern:

This is a request under the Freedom of Information Act. I hereby request the following records:

Communications between this agency and the offices of Sen. Chuck Grassley and Rep. Darell Issa regarding their office's queries on the use of paid leave by this agency, as well as any materials or presentations prepared for or provided to the offices of Grassley and Issa as part of this agency's response to their inquiries.

These queries are noted publicly here:

http://www.grassley.senate.gov/news/news-releases/grassley-issa-seek-agency-explanation-federal-workers-long-term-paid-leave

And the existence of responsive materials is noted publicly here:

“We’re still analyzing the responses but what we’re seeing so far causes concern,” Grassley said in a statement Wednesday. “The responding agencies spent tens of millions of dollars in one year alone to put employees on administrative leave for one month or more, often when administrative leave wasn’t the most appropriate action to take. Agencies need to do a better job of protecting the taxpayers from abusively long or inappropriate paid leave.”

As reported by the Washington Post here:

http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/federal-eye/wp/2014/10/22/paid-not-to-work-for-a-year-or-more-gop-lawmakers-ask-federal-agencies-why/

Grassley and Issa wrote to the Department of Health and Human Services; the Social Security Administration; the Treasury Department; the Department of Veterans Affairs; the Small Business Administration; the Agency for International Development; the Department of Housing and Urban Development; the Department of the Interior; the Environmental Protection Agency; the Department of Energy; the Department of Defense; the Department of Commerce; the Department of Agriculture; the National Aeronautics and Space Administration; the Office of Personnel Management; the Department of Transportation; and the Department of Homeland Security.

The requested documents will be made available to the general public, and this request is not being made for commercial purposes.

In the event that fees cannot be waived, I would be grateful if you would inform me of the total charges in advance of fulfilling my request. I would prefer the request filled electronically, by e-mail attachment if available or CD-ROM if not.

Thank you in advance for your anticipated cooperation in this matter. I look forward to receiving your response to this request within 20 business days, as the statute requires.

Sincerely,

Michael Morisy

From: MuckRock

To Whom It May Concern:

This FOIA request is being forwarded to your office for processing. Confirmation of receipt and an estimated date of completion would be greatly appreciated.

Thank you.

_____________________

To Whom It May Concern:

This is a request under the Freedom of Information Act. I hereby request the following records:

Communications between this agency and the offices of Sen. Chuck Grassley and Rep. Darell Issa regarding their office's queries on the use of paid leave by this agency, as well as any materials or presentations prepared for or provided to the offices of Grassley and Issa as part of this agency's response to their inquiries.

These queries are noted publicly here:

http://www.grassley.senate.gov/news/news-releases/grassley-issa-seek-agency-explanation-federal-workers-long-term-paid-leave

And the existence of responsive materials is noted publicly here:

“We’re still analyzing the responses but what we’re seeing so far causes concern,” Grassley said in a statement Wednesday. “The responding agencies spent tens of millions of dollars in one year alone to put employees on administrative leave for one month or more, often when administrative leave wasn’t the most appropriate action to take. Agencies need to do a better job of protecting the taxpayers from abusively long or inappropriate paid leave.”

As reported by the Washington Post here:

http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/federal-eye/wp/2014/10/22/paid-not-to-work-for-a-year-or-more-gop-lawmakers-ask-federal-agencies-why/

Grassley and Issa wrote to the Department of Health and Human Services; the Social Security Administration; the Treasury Department; the Department of Veterans Affairs; the Small Business Administration; the Agency for International Development; the Department of Housing and Urban Development; the Department of the Interior; the Environmental Protection Agency; the Department of Energy; the Department of Defense; the Department of Commerce; the Department of Agriculture; the National Aeronautics and Space Administration; the Office of Personnel Management; the Department of Transportation; and the Department of Homeland Security.

The requested documents will be made available to the general public, and this request is not being made for commercial purposes.

In the event that fees cannot be waived, I would be grateful if you would inform me of the total charges in advance of fulfilling my request. I would prefer the request filled electronically, by e-mail attachment if available or CD-ROM if not.

Thank you in advance for your anticipated cooperation in this matter. I look forward to receiving your response to this request within 20 business days, as the statute requires.

Sincerely,

Michael Morisy

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