The former executive officer of the California Air Resources Board received almost $500,000 in added pay last year — the vast majority for unused leave — when he left the agency. That additional money helped Richard Corey more than triple his total compensation from the previous year, according to data The Sacramento Bee acquired from the State Controller’s Office. Corey worked 37 years for the board, called CARB, and was appointed executive officer in 2013. He “accrued considerable vacation, personal leave and holiday time,” agency communications official David Clergen said in an email. In 2022, he took home $623,238.
Corey did not respond to an email requesting comment. He left the agency in June. Three months later, he joined AJW, a company that advises clients on issues related to energy, the environment, and navigating government regulations. When reached by phone, an AJW representative offered to send Corey an email instead of transferring the call. It is not usual for government employees to leave their jobs with large payouts. In 2018, the state paid out nearly $300 million for banked time off, a Los Angeles Times analysis of payroll data found. The newspaper found more than 450 state workers who pulled in six-figure checks when they left their jobs that year. The value of leave is based on an employee’s salary level at the time it is cashed out, according to the Legislative Analyst’s Office, which advises the Legislature on fiscal and policy issues. The analyst’s office reported the state’s total leave balance liability was $3.9 billion in 2018-2019.
More wasteful money given away by our government in Sacramento. What about the poor homeless?