59 House employees receive merit bonuses of $500-$4,000
COLUMBUS (AP) -- Merit bonuses ranging from $500 to $4,000 handed out to 59 Ohio House employees has irked some of the 70 percent of the staffers who didn't get them.
The one-time bonuses totaled $89,500.
Scott Borgemenke, House Speaker Jon Husted's chief of staff, said he understands some people are irate, but that's what happens in a merit-based system.
"I hope it incentivizes them to work next year and do a better job," he said.
House Minority Leader Chris Redfern agreed.
"If we're going to say government should be run in a similar fashion to business, you have to award people on merit from time to time," he said. "And if that makes someone unhappy, no good deed goes unpunished."
No bonuses were awarded to Senate employees.
A list of the House bonuses awarded Friday shows that 39 GOP employees received a total of $64,500. Twenty House Democrats received a combined $23,000.
With Republicans holding a 61-to-39 House majority, the largest bonuses, $4,000, went to Borgemenke, policy aide Heather Mann and Sheryl Stecker, an aide to Rep. Bill Coley of West Chester.
On the Democratic side, the largest bonus, $2,500, went to Andy DiPalma, Redfern's chief of staff.
Tamiyka Koger and Valarie Johnson, legislative aides to Redfern, and Adam Hewit, an aide to Rep. Timothy Cassell of Madison, each got $1,500 bonuses.