Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the Overtime Policy topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
Committee advances overtime-cap ordinance aimed at limiting extreme individual accruals and improving reporting
Summary
The committee advanced an ordinance to cap overtime accruals and impose reporting and oversight measures, replacing an unworkable 16% threshold with a proposed 30% target and adding monthly reporting and departmental compliance tools; staff said the measure balances safety, fairness and fiscal control.
The Budget & Finance Committee advanced an administrative-code amendment to limit overtime hours and expand reporting and oversight. The sponsor described the measure as intended to reduce extreme individual overtime accruals, improve fairness in overtime distribution and address fatigue and safety concerns. The ordinance would limit overtime in any fiscal year and cap overtime to no more than 80 hours in a regular work week except for approved emergency or critical service needs.
Mickey Callahan of the Department of Human Resources and other staff presented data showing the prior 16% threshold in the code had proved infeasible for many departments; the ordinance proposes a 30% threshold that staff said is more attainable. The presenters described compliance tools: filling authorized positions, managing staffing levels (staggering paid time off), preapproval by appointing officers for overtime, constrained comp-time use, and problem-spotting for high individual earners. Callahan described examples including juvenile counselors and transit operators where smoothing overtime reduced high individual utilization. The Mayor’s chief of staff (Mr. Ginsberg) and the controller’s office (Monique Smuda) supported the measure and outlined reporting timelines; the controller said a report identifying overtime rates for major departments could be ready by late September.
Public commenters, including union and city employees, generally supported the 30% threshold as more realistic than the prior 16% rule and urged careful implementation to avoid operational gaps. Committee members asked detailed implementation questions about smoothing overtime through the fiscal year, exceptions for specialized skills, and whether the city should hire additional staff instead of relying on overtime. Staff replied that exceptions for unique qualifications would be handled case by case and that implementation would include memoranda, training, and monthly monitoring.
The committee forwarded the ordinance to the full board with recommendation; the committee directed staff to work with the mayor’s office, HR and unions on implementation and monthly reporting.
