Burbank Sued Over Secretive Big Boy Bonuses
The City of Burbank is being sued by the Burbank Leader over a public records request refusal to disclose information about millions of dollars in merit-pay bonuses over the past three years that have been paid to city employees.
A lump sum for fiscal year 2009-10 was initially provided by Burbank officials and totaled $1 million out of a budgeted $1.87 million. Glendale provides per-employee bonus information on its website and reportedly paid out roughly $1 million to mid-level department managers and executives between 1999 and 2008 before suspending bonuses in '08 as the city began suffering budget deficits.
According to the Burbank Leader, "out of about 1500 Burbank city employees, 874 employees were eligible to receive merit-based bonuses last fiscal year and just over 50%, or 445 workers, received one, according to the overview provided by the city. So far this fiscal year, $228,449 in bonuses have already been paid out, according to the city. That's more than the $223,393 in bonuses that went to 39 Glendale employees during the highest pay-out year of the program, records show."
Detailed information on the names, titles and bonus amounts distributed to Burbank employees was repeatedly requested and denied. Burbank officials argue that releasing information about bonus pay violates the privacy of city employees.