Bill Overview
Title: To amend the Ethics in Government Act of 1978 to require certain Tennessee Valley Authority employees to include their annual salary in annual disclosure reports, and for the other purposes.
Description: This bill requires certain Tennessee Valley Authority officers and employees to include their total annual compensation in annual financial disclosure reports.
Sponsors: Rep. Cohen, Steve [D-TN-9]
Target Audience
Population: Tennessee Valley Authority officers and employees
Estimated Size: 10000
- This legislation targets employees of the Tennessee Valley Authority (TVA).
- The TVA is a federally owned corporation in the United States, providing electricity for business customers and local power companies.
- The population affected will primarily be those TVA employees who are earning salaries that must be disclosed annually.
- Given that the TVA serves certain regions in the United States, its employees are there as well.
- The total number of TVA employees includes a range of positions from various locations under its jurisdiction, not limited to one state or area.
Reasoning
- The impact of the policy is primarily on the transparency of officer and employee compensation within the TVA, rather than directly on their wellbeing.
- Most TVA employees may see no significant personal change in wellbeing due to this policy, as it doesn't impact salary or job security.
- The disclosure requirement might bring additional administrative tasks which could affect job satisfaction slightly, but not drastically for most.
- Employees at higher levels with substantial compensations might experience a moderate impact due to increased scrutiny, leading to potential stress.
- Overall, the policy impacts a small, specific population, thus the general US population will remain largely unaffected.
Simulated Interviews
Financial Analyst (Knoxville, Tennessee)
Age: 45 | Gender: female
Wellbeing Before Policy: 7
Duration of Impact: 1.0 years
Commonness: 15/20
Statement of Opinion:
- The policy is good for transparency, but adds another layer of paperwork for us.
- I don't think it'll affect my wellbeing much unless it leads to more workload.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 6 | 7 |
| Year 2 | 6 | 7 |
| Year 3 | 6 | 7 |
| Year 5 | 7 | 7 |
| Year 10 | 7 | 7 |
| Year 20 | 7 | 7 |
Engineering Manager (Chattanooga, Tennessee)
Age: 52 | Gender: male
Wellbeing Before Policy: 8
Duration of Impact: 2.0 years
Commonness: 10/20
Statement of Opinion:
- I am already compensated well but the scrutiny might cause unnecessary stress.
- Being transparent is fine, but how the public perceives it could be a concern.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 6 | 8 |
| Year 2 | 6 | 8 |
| Year 3 | 7 | 8 |
| Year 5 | 8 | 8 |
| Year 10 | 8 | 8 |
| Year 20 | 9 | 8 |
Administrative Assistant (Nashville, Tennessee)
Age: 34 | Gender: female
Wellbeing Before Policy: 6
Duration of Impact: 0.0 years
Commonness: 18/20
Statement of Opinion:
- I don't think this policy changes much for me personally.
- It might just mean a bit more work on the admin side.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 6 | 6 |
| Year 2 | 6 | 6 |
| Year 3 | 6 | 6 |
| Year 5 | 6 | 6 |
| Year 10 | 6 | 6 |
| Year 20 | 6 | 6 |
Public Relations Specialist (Memphis, Tennessee)
Age: 29 | Gender: male
Wellbeing Before Policy: 7
Duration of Impact: 1.5 years
Commonness: 14/20
Statement of Opinion:
- This policy might increase public interest in our compensation but it's part of the job.
- I guess we'll communicate more with stakeholders about income structures.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 7 | 7 |
| Year 2 | 7 | 7 |
| Year 3 | 7 | 7 |
| Year 5 | 7 | 7 |
| Year 10 | 7 | 7 |
| Year 20 | 8 | 7 |
Power Plant Operator (Huntsville, Alabama)
Age: 60 | Gender: male
Wellbeing Before Policy: 7
Duration of Impact: 0.0 years
Commonness: 13/20
Statement of Opinion:
- I assume it won't change much for those of us in operations.
- Might be interesting to see how it affects higher-ups.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 7 | 7 |
| Year 2 | 7 | 7 |
| Year 3 | 7 | 7 |
| Year 5 | 7 | 7 |
| Year 10 | 7 | 7 |
| Year 20 | 8 | 8 |
Senior Environmental Scientist (Birmingham, Alabama)
Age: 47 | Gender: female
Wellbeing Before Policy: 8
Duration of Impact: 1.0 years
Commonness: 11/20
Statement of Opinion:
- The policy seems more administrative, not directly affecting my role.
- I support transparency, though.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 8 | 8 |
| Year 2 | 8 | 8 |
| Year 3 | 8 | 8 |
| Year 5 | 8 | 8 |
| Year 10 | 8 | 8 |
| Year 20 | 9 | 8 |
Human Resources Manager (Knoxville, Tennessee)
Age: 39 | Gender: female
Wellbeing Before Policy: 8
Duration of Impact: 3.0 years
Commonness: 12/20
Statement of Opinion:
- I expect some additional work for HR with this policy.
- Hopefully, it enhances trust in our processes.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 7 | 8 |
| Year 2 | 7 | 8 |
| Year 3 | 8 | 8 |
| Year 5 | 8 | 8 |
| Year 10 | 9 | 8 |
| Year 20 | 9 | 8 |
Junior Software Developer (Raleigh, North Carolina)
Age: 31 | Gender: male
Wellbeing Before Policy: 9
Duration of Impact: 0.0 years
Commonness: 17/20
Statement of Opinion:
- As a new member and not in a management role, I think this policy doesn't change much for my job.
- It's interesting to see what changes they'll make next.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 9 | 9 |
| Year 2 | 9 | 9 |
| Year 3 | 9 | 9 |
| Year 5 | 9 | 9 |
| Year 10 | 9 | 9 |
| Year 20 | 9 | 9 |
Senior Legal Advisor (Atlanta, Georgia)
Age: 58 | Gender: male
Wellbeing Before Policy: 8
Duration of Impact: 4.0 years
Commonness: 9/20
Statement of Opinion:
- There might be more compliance-related work to ensure accuracy in annual disclosures.
- It's crucial to maintain precise records in line with the new requirement.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 7 | 8 |
| Year 2 | 7 | 8 |
| Year 3 | 7 | 8 |
| Year 5 | 8 | 8 |
| Year 10 | 9 | 8 |
| Year 20 | 9 | 8 |
Intern (Decatur, Alabama)
Age: 25 | Gender: female
Wellbeing Before Policy: 7
Duration of Impact: 0.0 years
Commonness: 16/20
Statement of Opinion:
- This policy seems geared towards more senior members, doesn't affect me as an intern.
- I'm learning a lot about how policies affect organizational operation.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 7 | 7 |
| Year 2 | 7 | 7 |
| Year 3 | 7 | 7 |
| Year 5 | 7 | 7 |
| Year 10 | 7 | 7 |
| Year 20 | 8 | 8 |
Cost Estimates
Year 1: $1500000 (Low: $1000000, High: $2000000)
Year 2: $1000000 (Low: $700000, High: $1500000)
Year 3: $1000000 (Low: $700000, High: $1500000)
Year 5: $1000000 (Low: $700000, High: $1500000)
Year 10: $1000000 (Low: $700000, High: $1500000)
Year 100: $1000000 (Low: $700000, High: $1500000)
Key Considerations
- The policy primarily affects employees of a federally owned corporation, reducing the potential for wide economic effects.
- Transparency and ethics in government operations are crucial for public trust and governance.
- While costs primarily occur in the early years due to implementation, they should stabilize over time.