Also I think that SES pay is still capped at $155,700 (GS15 Step 9) but they do get bonuses. I have never heard of a bonus over $5K, that doesn't mean they don't occur. I have never known anyone to get one.
“The VA also rewarded executives who managed construction of a facility in Denver, a disastrous project years overdue and more than $1 billion over budget. They took home $4,000 to $8,000 each.”
Sure, the ones who don't actually do the work, get the bonuses. I know that the postal service gives bonuses to their supervisors. The postal clerks at one of the area offices told me that their supervisor would get a bonus if she cut costs at the office. In their case, it came to the supervisor cutting the hours of the workers to save the department money. And the supervisor was useless. I made the mistake of going there one day when she was the only one working the desk. The line was out the door because she had no idea what she was doing. I finally got tired of waiting, left, and went to another post office.