Lavaca County will pay overtime to first responders, approves payout of accrued comp time

Lavaca County Commissioners on July 14 updated the county personnel policy to require overtime pay for first responders rather than forcing them to take comp time, and authorized a payout of accrued comp time built up under the prior policy.

The change applies to EMS personnel, sheriff's department employees (including deputies and jailers), and dispatch staff. County administration and Auditor Sheila Velasquez (S6) described operational problems created when pay periods and scheduling resulted in staff being forced into comp time they could not use. "If you force them to work overtime, I think you owe the overtime," the judge said when proposing the motion.

The court said accrued comp time will be paid out now rather than waiting until later; going forward, designated first-responder departments will receive overtime pay for hours worked beyond scheduled time. Commissioners discussed treating other departments differently (for example, election workers who volunteer extra hours and prefer comp time) and reserved flexibility for future adjustments.

Why it matters: The change aims to address scheduling and retention issues among emergency personnel and avoid large lump-sum comp-time payouts at year end. Officials said it will cost the county more in operating payroll but improves fairness for employees required to work extra shifts.

What happens next: The court approved the motion and second; staff will carry out comp-time payouts and update payroll processes to reflect the new overtime policy for the listed departments.