Senator Mike Crapo (R-ID)

Representative Salud Carbajal (D-CA-24)

Senator Mike Crapo (R-ID)

Senator Mike Crapo's (R-ID) office has created a positive environment of inclusion, recognition and dedication. The Senator's practice of open collaboration is one of the factors that contributes to Senator Crapo's positive workplace. This collaborative environment balances the ability of staff to execute their responsibilities in consultation with the Senator and senior leadership. By reducing unnecessary or redundant reviews or demands for observing a rigid protocol, ideas develop and then are recommended to the Senator for consideration. This type of environment allows staff to exercise their knowledge and skills in the service of Idahoans. More simply, this environment permits staff to do their jobs outside of an overly micro-managed environment. Staff are empowered to work on behalf of Idahoans, and Senator Crapo supports and encourages their work.

With a low attrition rate for staff, a bank of institutional knowledge is in place to help guide policy decisions and to help mentor and train new staff joining the office. To build and maintain this bench of knowledge, Senator Crapo looks first to promote and hire from within current staff members and often finding entry-level staff from the most recent class of interns who have served the office. Unlike most congressional offices, Senator Crapo has been paying the office interns since 1993 when he served in the U.S. House of Representatives.

Representative Salud Carbajal (D-CA-24)

The office of Representative Salud Carbajal (D-CA-24) is dedicated to making their office the most positive and flexible of workplaces, with a genuine appreciation for the staff's hard work, professional growth, and personal well-being. The office's work is guided by the goal to serve their constituents, and that passion for service is reflected in the personalities of both Member and staff. The Congressman encourages and empowers the management team to offer flexible workplace options and professional development opportunities for staff.

The Member takes the time to learn about every intern's background and aspirations, carves out time to mentor each intern class, and has personally called colleagues to recommend outstanding interns in final rounds of interviews.

The office has tailored work hours to fit the unique needs of staff, including staffers pursuing higher degrees who need to leave work early some days and staffers with children who need to work around daycare/school hours and other unforeseen circumstances.

Every staffer has the opportunity to travel to and work out of the office on the opposite coast in order to strengthen DC-DO staff collaboration and gain an appreciation for their colleagues' unique challenges in their roles.