His Government Service Hardship Included 8% Raise, $155K Golden Parachute

At a March 2 press conference, Gov. Gretchen Whitmer was asked why she offered former state health director Robert Gordon a $155,506 payout as part of a separation agreement.

Whitmer said the pandemic has been hard on everyone, including “everyone who serves in state and local government,” according to MIRS News.

Gordon’s gross pay went from $162,007 in 2019 to $175,097 in 2020, an 8% increase. He abruptly resigned from his position on Jan. 22.

According to news reports, Gordon quickly landed a new public sector job as a public service scholar at the University of Michigan Law School.