Obama freezes bonuses for political appointees

'A minimum of 2,900 politicial appointees will be affected' :

US President Barack Obama on Tuesday announced a freeze in bonuses for federal employees who are political appointees, a symbolic gesture during a period of high unemployment. Obama, who already froze salaries of senior White House officials upon taking office in January 2009, made the announcement in a memo to federal agencies.

The Office of Personnel Management "estimates a minimum of 2,900 political appointees will be affected by the freeze on discretionary awards, bonuses and similar payments," a senior administration official told AFP, speaking on condition of anonymity.