Analysis shows some state workers made more in OT than regular salary

Furniture movers, food stamp specialists, scores of psychiatric assistants and Gov. Rick Perry's security troopers are among the top earners of $122 million in overtime paid last year to public employees in Texas.

In some cases - though a small fraction considering the size of the Texas payroll - employees earned more overtime pay than they did from their set salaries, a Houston Chronicle analysis shows.

At the top of the list is a Department of Public Safety sergeant, also a member of Perry's security detail, who earned $65,136.43 in overtime in addition to his $64,401.96 annual salary.

Of the 56,948 state employees who received overtime, 1,988 earned more than $10,000 extra and nearly 40 earned more than their salaries in overtime.

But it is the Texas Health and Human Services Commission that paid the most in overtime to staffers. Officials say the $27.8 million bill was primarily due to a backlog of Medicaid and food stamp applications caused by the stagnant economy. Overtime accounted for about 6 percent of last year's payroll.

"The vast majority of our OT is paid to employees who work in our eligibility offices where we process applications for Medicaid and food benefits," said Stephanie Goodman, spokeswoman for HHSC.

A new computer system in 2011 will help reduce overtime in the coming years, she said, adding that HHSC has spent $6.9 million in overtime so far this year, "about half of what we spent on overtime for the same period in 2011."

At DPS, the top 10 overtime earners were all members of the Executive Protection Bureau and together earned more than $499,000 in overtime.

'24/7/365 operation'

DPS spokesman Tom Vinger said the governor's security team, which traveled with him during his failed bid for the GOP presidential nomination, is assigned to the Executive Protection Bureau and "charged with the responsibility of protecting the state's top leadership and families … and this is a 24/7/365 operation."

Vinger also said that more than $23.6 million of the approximately $27 million paid in overtime last year was specifically authorized by state or federal programs, including the state's Expanded Enforcement Program, the state and federal Selective Traffic Enforcement Programs, and border security overtime funding.

"Unfortunately, murderers, rapists, child predators, robbers, terrorists, Mexican cartels and other high-threat criminals don't operate on an 8 a.m to 5 p.m. schedule," DPS Director Steven McCraw said in a statement. "The Department is fortunate to have dedicated men and women who are willing to sacrifice their time away from their families and willing to work overtime in a dangerous and intense operational environment to serve and protect the people of Texas."

Staffing and overtime

The state's overtime bill reflects some of the shifting challenges Texas faced last year that have forced supervisors to approve employees staying late and working longer, instead of hiring new employees.

"The whole point of requiring overtime pay at time and a half is to encourage people to hire more people rather than work their same people longer," said Rex Burch, a labor law specialist. "I run a small business; if I get to the point where I consistently have lots of overtime, it means we are understaffed."

Sylvester Turner, a Houston Democrat who is vice chairman of the Texas House Appropriations Committee, says the state also laid off 8,000 to 10,000 state employees during the 2011 legislative session.

"Now it seems we are paying quite a bit out in overtime because of the shortages. … It probably cost us more," he said. "It is bad management on the part of the state.

"On top of that, you can only work these people for so much," he said. "For example, the correctional officers, who work a lot of overtime, will not be as productive, which creates public safety issues."

Psychiatric care

Most of the overtime, in fact, did go to workers at agencies with jobs requiring 24-hour-a-day attention, like that of a social worker or a state trooper.

But at the Texas Department Criminal Justice, the state's prison system, it was not correctional officers who earned the most from the $15.4 million overtime tab, but five furniture installers or "skilled craft workers" who each nearly matched their salaries, earning more than $26,000 in overtime.

The workers are part of TDCJ's Texas Correctional Industries, which uses inmates to build and install office furniture in government buildings and schools. The department's installers travel with them and assist with the work.

"The installers, along with offenders, often are traveling long distances and working irregular hours to complete jobs," said TDCJ spokesman Jason Clark.

Dozens of state health department psychiatric nursing assistants also earned close to their annual pay or more in overtime.

"Almost all of our overtime pay is paid to employees working in our mental health hospitals," Carrie Williams, spokeswoman for the Texas Department of State Health Services, said of its $7.3 million in overtime. "We take care of patients 24/7, and if we have vacancies or people are out sick, other employees fill those slots to make sure our patients are safe and well taken care of. "

Much the same has happened with Child Protective Services, part of Department of Family and Protective Services and its $8.6 million bill.

"When abuse is reported, we have to respond, any time, day or night. As ongoing investigations are worked, new ones come in," said department spokesman Patrick Crimmins. "Workers are on call around the clock, and in many instances interviews of parents, potential victims, and other possible witnesses must be conducted."

The Texas Juvenile Justice Department, formerly called the Texas Youth Commission, which oversees 418 child criminal offenders at six residential facilities, paid out more than $2 million in overtime.

"It's a safety and security issue," explained department spokesman Jim Hurley, noting that each juvenile correctional officer must have 300 hours of training to staff juvenile facilities, which require a 12-to-1 ratio.

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