Controller warns of $167M overtime projection; dozens of workers press city on long-term "as‑needed" jobs

The Budget and Finance Subcommittee heard the controller’s six‑month overtime report and received detailed department responses and extensive public testimony on the city’s growing reliance on overtime and temporary "as‑needed" workers.

Controller Ben Rosenfield said a straight‑line projection using first‑half spending puts citywide overtime at about $167 million for the fiscal year — roughly $47.2 million (≈39%) over the overtime budget — with about 88% concentrated in five departments (MTA, Fire, Police, Department of Public Health and Sheriff). Rosenfield told supervisors that 252 employees had already exceeded an administrative‑code limit that caps individual overtime at 25% of scheduled hours and that many more could do so if current use continued.

Supervisor Campos framed the hearing around whether better staffing and hiring could reduce overtime. "If the trends continue, the departments here in the city are projected to spend approximately $167,400,000 on overtime," he said, citing the controller’s findings and urging…