CDC Director’s Compensation To Be Cut Following Questions About $375,000 Salary
"Dr. [Robert] Redfield has expressed to Secretary [Alex] Azar that he does not wish to have his compensation become a distraction for the important work of the CDC,” an HHS spokeswoman said.
The New York Times:
C.D.C. Director’s $375,000 Salary Will Be Cut
The government will lower the $375,000 salary of the new director of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Dr. Robert R. Redfield, after reports that he was being paid considerably more than previous directors, the Department of Health and Human Services confirmed on Monday, though it declined to say what his new pay will be. Dr. Redfield, who became the C.D.C. director in March, had been given the higher salary under a provision called Title 42. It was created by Congress to allow federal agencies to offer compensation that is competitive with the private sector in order to attract top-notch scientists with expertise that the departments would not otherwise have. News reports of his earnings sparked complaints from Senate Democrats and watchdog groups. (Belluck, 4/30)
The Associated Press:
CDC Chief Asks For, And Gets, Cut To His Record $375K Pay
On Monday, HHS officials said Redfield has asked for a pay reduction because the topic had become a distraction. They said his compensation will be adjusted accordingly, but did not answer questions about what the new sum is or when it will be announced. Redfield has not been doing media interviews since taking the CDC job, and he didn't immediately comment on the pay cut. A top HIV researcher, Redfield had no experience working in public health or managing a public health agency. (4/30)
The Washington Post:
CDC Director Asks That His $375,000 Salary Be Cut After Questions Raised
In a letter Friday to Azar, Sen. Patty Murray (D-Wash.) asked for the justification for offering Redfield “a salary significantly higher” than that of his predecessors and other leaders at HHS. Murray, the ranking Democrat on the Health, Education, Labor and Pensions Committee, noted news reports last week that Redfield was being hired under a special salary program. Title 42, as it is known, was established by Congress to attract health scientists with rare and critical skills to government work. It grants federal agencies authority to offer salary and benefit packages that are competitive with those offered in the private sector and academia. (Sun, 4/30)