Vermont DOC budget hearing highlights staffing shortfalls, rising overtime and hospital costs
Loading...
Summary
Interim Commissioner John Murad told the Institutions Committee that DOC’s FY27 budget faces high overtime and vacancy-driven costs: total staffing is roughly $88 million, with regular pay ~ $70 million and facility regular pay ~ $37 million; DOC reported a roughly 12.8% vacancy rate and high facility overtime that it said drives travel and hospital-staffing expenses.
Interim Commissioner John Murad told the Institutions Committee on Feb. 26 that the Vermont Department of Corrections’ FY27 spending requests are driven largely by staffing shortages and overtime costs. "Our total staffing costs [are] just under 88,000,000," Murad said, adding that regular pay is about $70,000,000 and that facility regular pay is just over $37,000,000.
Why it matters: Committee members pressed DOC on how persistent vacancies and overtime affect daily operations and long-term budgeting. DOC said a roughly 12.8% vacancy rate—worse than pre-pandemic single-digit levels—has required continued reliance on overtime and on central-office travel and hoteling to staff distant facilities or cover hospitalized incarcerated patients.
DOC described steps already under way. Murad and finance staff said they have created facility "experience officers" tasked with recruitment, retention and improving workplace wellness; the department also runs targeted outreach, including media campaigns. But DOC acknowledged those measures take time to move vacancy percentages back toward single digits. "Those positions are really important," the commissioner said, explaining that these roles support hiring and staff morale.
DOC provided data on hospital usage and travel tied to medical coverage: January 2026 had 21 hospitalizations (median stay 3 days, longest 13), and average monthly hospitalizations since 2023 are about 19. DOC said central operations covers roughly 86% of hospital transports and that travel costs will likely persist as the incarcerated population ages.
Committee members repeatedly sought clarity about how vacancy savings, carryforwards and payroll reporting interact with current-year finances. DOC answered that underspending is generally absorbed within sections of the budget unless carryforward accounting is specifically required, and that a recent payroll-system change caused two positions to be swept to the state pool.
What happens next: The institutions committee said it will continue probing vacancy and overtime drivers in follow-up hearings after town meeting and during the crossover week when policy bills must be reported. No formal actions or votes were taken at the Feb. 26 session.
