The hole keeps getting deeper...Since 2006, the state of Washington has paid more than 1,000 state employees to stay at home at taxpayer expense. That has cost taxpayers $13.5 million for the employees’ salaries and $3.7 million more in benefits, for a total of $17.2 million, according to KING 5's Susannah Frame.

Frame is the lead investigator in the ongoing investigation "Paid for Nothing" by KING 5 News that has uncovered millions of taxpayer dollars wasted to pay state workers to sit at home and do nothing for the state.

"To be fair of course, there's a reason. The reason is each of these employees have been accused of some kind of misconduct on the job it could have been threatening to kill a co-worker stealing from the state misusing a state resource like a state vehicle," says Frame.

Frame tells an incredulous Dori she was particularly amused and disgusted by the notifications ordering workers to remain at home during their regular shift.

And she says it is ridiculous some cases drag out for years, the longest taking 4 years to resolve.

"A murder charge doesn't take that long to bring someone to trial," Frame tells Dori in a live interview.

She says she's heartened the state is taking steps to address the problems raised in the ongoing investigation. But another story on Wednesday shows it shouldn't be that tough to fix the problem.

"It's not brain surgery sometimes. It's a simple fix and we could have saved millions long ago."

Listen to Paid to stay home: KING 5's Susannah Frame

-Josh Kerns/My Northwest.com