Lawmakers look to see what’s cheaper -- overtime or more employees

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Lawmakers want to find out if it’s cheaper to hire more state employees or continue understaffing and pay millions in overtime.

An audit released Wednesday said the state paid $187 million in overtime over the last three years, and 59 employees got $100,000 each in extra pay.

The Legislative Audit Bureau wondered if some people aren’t being worked to death.

One technician at Madison’s Mendota Mental Health Institute averaged 95 hours a week.

Nurse Elaine Taylor at the Milwaukee Secure Detention Facility received the most OT, for total wages last year of $225,000.

Employment law attorney Jon Anderson calls the volume and length of the overtime staggering and he wonders if supervisors are asleep at the switch.

The Corrections and health agencies, which had the most overtime due to their 24-hour operations, said they’re doing what they can to limit overtime, but it’s hard because the Legislature limits their staffing.

Joint Audit Committee co-chairman Sen. Jim Sullivan, D-Wauwatosa, said lawmakers had to deal with massive budget shortfalls.

The panel’s other co-chair, Rep. Sue Jeskewitz, R-Menomonee Falls, wants to know if it’s cheaper to keep paying overtime, or to hire more workers and paying more in total fringe benefits.

Tags: wisconsin, news, state, employees, overtime