Dana to Seek Suspension of County Worker Bonuses

After learning that financially strapped Los Angeles County paid $3 million in employee bonuses last year, Supervisor Deane Dana said Friday that he will ask fellow supervisors to suspend the pay program this year.

“While I strongly support tangible recognition for extraordinary contributions, given our budget problems, now is not the time,” Dana said in a motion placed on Tuesday’s board agenda.

A spokesman for Supervisor Gloria Molina said she plans to seek a permanent end to the bonuses and will also propose that departments be required to earmark any money leftover at the end of the year for improving services to the public. County policy allows the chief administrative officer to award bonuses to employees for extraordinary work. They are meted out on top of cost-of-living increases or merit raises, ordinarily out of funds left over at the end of the fiscal year.