That’s the conclusion we get from a report by the Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA) Office of Inspector General. This watchdog group identified a culture of complacency at the giant federal agency, where some supervisors have a decidedly laid back attitude about the 40-hour work week, showing up on time, showing up at all, and use of computers and other public property. All of these add up to real wasted tax dollars.

According to the watchdog report, the EPA grants paid administrative leave so freely that it is almost a paid staycation. Eight employees accused of misconduct racked up 21,000 hours at home at an estimated cost of $1.1 million.

Then there are the cases where no prompt action – or no action at all–  has been taken to address allegations of substantial employee misconduct. For ten years from 2000 – 2010, a senior executive reportedly turned a blind eye and even approved fraudulent vouchers for time, attendance and travel. The senior executive retired this year and no administrative action was ever taken to address these allegations.

Another senior employee reportedly moonlighted while on the clock and misused government property and official work time for his private business. Yet he earned a presidential award with a big check for $33,928. When allegations about his behavior came to light, it took 11 months for the EPA to issue a removal notice. He has been on paid administrative leave since, appealing this decision. I wouldn’t shed too many tears for that employee, if indeed he has a lucrative side business that is keeping them well paid.

Most egregious are probably two separate cases alleged of porn-watching EPA workers. The two who earned $120,000 a year reportedly spent between one to six hours each day viewing and downloading pornography on government computers. The EPA learned of this in November 2013 and May 2014. Yet it wasn’t until March 2015 that action was taken. One retired and the other is getting paid to sit at home while he appeals his case.

The Washington Post reports:

In government, there is always a tension between taking action against someone who has clearly broken rules or laws and that employee’s rights to due process, which, like it or not, are significant — and one of the biggest differences between the government and the private sector. The result is that many federal employees sit at home on paid leave for months, and sometimes years.

As far back as 2007, the IG’s office criticized EPA leaders for failing to respond quickly to employee misconduct — the average time was 200 days — and for not taking severe enough discipline. The agency agreed, but last week’s report notes that officials still have not revised their handbook for laying out a timeline for the disciplinary process, which was written in 1998.

Investigators criticized what appears to be a weak improvement strategy thus far: “Commitment is not demonstrated by a one-time memo and a new policy,” they wrote. “The message must be communicated repeatedly throughout the organization by many means, both formal and informal, to reinforce a strong ‘tone at the top.'”

Administrator Gina McCarthy seems to be taking action now, though. In January, when the IG’s concerns became clear, she sent a memo to the 15,000 EPA employees titled, “Working with [the Office of the Inspector General] to make EPA a High Performing Organization.” She urged the staff to come forward when they suspect or observe their colleagues wasting money, abusing the system or committing fraud.

Memos aren’t enough when the taxpayer is being cheated in this fashion. What about providing rewards for those who drop the dime on misbehavior of this magnitude? And what about prompt investigation and action on serious allegations, so that cases of fraud and abuse are minimized to nothing and those who are thinking about it will think again?