Representative Ro Khanna (D-CA)

Representative Barry Moore (R-AL)

Representative Ro Khanna (D-CA)

The office of Rep. Khanna appears to be an open and collaborative workplace, with Rep. Khanna cultivating an individual relationship with every staff member, encouraging staff to offer their recommendations and to ask him questions directly. Staff are continually invited to offer their ideas for everything from the Member's policy positions to how to best connect our district's needs to the DC office's work. Feedback is practiced as a two-way process in the office, with junior staff regularly receiving feedback from the Member and management team and providing their own recommendations which are taken seriously and incorporated into the office policies and practices. Annual performance reviews provide every staffer opportunities to meet with management to evaluate their performance and solicit their recommendations for how they can be better supported by management. All staff are paid at least $71,000 a year, with all junior/non-management staff paid above the average (both mean & median) House salary for their role, and interns in both the district office and in DC are paid $17 an hour. Staff receive 30 days of total paid leave per year - 15 days of vacation + 15 days of sick leave which can be used for Mental Health Days at any point during the year, in addition to 1-2 weeks of office closure in the last 2 weeks of December. The office has also become more diverse over the past six and a half years. Inclusion trainings are offered every year and management incorporates recommendations from those trainings into planning for the next year.

Representative Barry Moore (R-AL)

While Rep. Barry Moore took office under the shadow of a pandemic, the office has adapted by creating office policies and plans that facilitate a successful, positive workplace and will stand the test of time. Regarding telework, when not in session, DC staffers are empowered to coordinate schedules so that the office remains staffed, and every staffer can periodically work from home. District staffers also can work with their supervisors to coordinate telework opportunities as well. By providing lightweight laptops, iPads and iPhones, every staffer can easily continue working outside of the office, whether from home or other locations. This flexibility has helped ensure that staff can work while traveling, which has created more output. In addition to adaptable telework policies, the office offers generous Paid Time Off, including vacation, sick leave, closing for every federal holiday, as well as days surrounding holidays that make it easier to travel and spend time with family. Staff are encouraged to utilize PTO and sick leave, rather than be made to feel guilty about s pending time away from the office or risking their health and possibly making other staff ill. The office created a robust Professional Development Plan and Work Performance Review Program, which encourages professional growth and networking by funding educational opportunities and rewarding efforts to achieve goals. Funds are set aside for every employee to use towards continued education, whether that's through books, online or in-person training, and or other mediums. The Performance Review Program provides constructive feedback with an eye towards retention and professional growth, rather than punitive actions that lead to staff turnover. All supervisors are required to hold one-on-one meetings with their direct reports once a week to learn more about what they are working on, what they may need assistance with, areas in which they need to build more trust, and to provide feedback on staff efforts to achieve goals and grow as a professional. Staff are also encouraged to provide anonymous feedback to their supervisors at the end of the year, so that managers can also learn and grow. Lastly, the office regularly celebrates each other by recognizing birthdays, achievements, and promotions. They hold two staff retreats every year, one in DC and one in the district, providing time for the entire team to bond, learn more about the work each staff member is responsible for, interact with constituents in person, and better understand the unique characteristics and needs of the district. The DC office also hosts quarterly events with the other offices in their Longworth hallway "across the aisle and across the hall." These gatherings are bipartisan and an opportunity to build relationships with other offices.