I realize this discussion is on federal spending, but the paying of huge sums to consultants in lieu of payroll is common among private corporations as well. A friend of mine finished law school at night and passed the bar . During this time she was 'upgraded' from a non-management, union position to working in the corporate legal department of the same company. After she passed the bar, they only gave her the same pay as men in the legal department when she threatened to sue for discrimination. Then, they kept her employed as a secretary while all the men did legal work. So, she took an open ended, unpaid leave and began her own law practice. Six months into the leave, she was hired as a consultant by a different department of the same company at a $350 per hour fee to draw up the same kinds of corporate agreements she had been kept from working on while on the payroll. She has now retired and is working for herself. maggie coleman [EMAIL PROTECTED]
