The Malloy administration on Thursday released numbers showing the state reduced overtime spending in the 2016 fiscal year by 14 percent from the previous year.
Ben Barnes, secretary of the Office of Policy and Management (OPM), said research by the General Assembly’s Office of Fiscal Analysis (OFA) showed in the year ended June 30 that state agencies had decreased overtime use. Barnes said 5 percent fewer employees earning overtime was partly responsible for the overall 14 percent reduction.
The OFA report shows that in fiscal year 2015, there were 19,726 employees earning overtime which cost the state $237.6 million In contrast, in 2016, 18,737 employees earned overtime at a cost to the state of $204.7 million. That’s a year over year reduction of $32.9 million.
In addition, the report shows that five agencies (Department of Correction, Department of Mental Health and Addiction Services, Department of Developmental Services, Department of Children and Families, and the Department of Emergency Services and Public Protection) were responsible for 90 percent of the overtime reduction.
In 2008, there were almost 28,000 general fund employees with overtime spending of $237 million, according to OPM.
