DOE Management

The Energy Department (DOE) hires contractors to manage its facilities and pays for the salaries and benefits of the employees at these facilities. In response to congressional concerns about the overall size of the federal government, including contractors and consultants, this report provides information on the workforce at the Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory, one of the facilities operated for DOE by the University of California. GAO discusses (1) the number of personnel by job category, such as scientist and engineer; (2) the salaries of the personnel in these job categories; and (3) the benefits provided to them. GAO also provides information on how salaries and benefits for university employees at the laboratory are determined.

GAO found that as of September 1994: (1) there were 9,706 personnel at the laboratory, including 114 DOE employees, 8,378 university employees, and 1,214 supplemental labor personnel; (2) there were six occupational categories with 36 percent of the personnel in the scientists and engineers category, 25 percent in the technicians category, 25 percent in the administrative category, and the remainder in the security and safety, management, and facilities, machinists, and other categories; (3) the highest annual salaries for university scientists and engineers ranged up to $170,000, while the highest salaries for DOE scientists and engineers ranged up to $93,516; (4) the salaries of university and DOE scientists and engineers were not comparable because these employees did not perform the same functions; (5) the laboratory's workforce received benefits including annual and sick leave, paid holidays, medical and life insurance, and retirement benefits; (6) the benefits offered to university employees and supplemental labor personnel were generally paid by the employer, while DOE employees had to pay for a portion of their benefits; (7) the university's management at the laboratory establishes the starting salaries of newly hired contractor employees; and (8) the university's laboratory employees receive the same benefits offered to other university employees.