Rochester-area state workers pile up overtime

They must wait until after 5 to do everything because the ones I see rarely seem to busy.

But I digress, courtesy of Joe Spector:

Overtime among the state’s nearly 400 agencies jumped by more than $66 million between 2005 and 2007, a 16 percent increase. Some employees have more than doubled their salaries because of generous overtime.

The top beneficiary in 2007 was Mei Kuei Lin, a nurse at the Rochester Psychiatric Center, according to records provided by the state Comptroller’s Office. She brought in $113,282 in overtime, more than double her $61,757 salary.

Also at the top of the list was Robert Henry, whom state records identified as a security officer. He earned $103,434 in overtime on top of his $50,312 salary at the Mid-Hudson Forensic Psychiatric Center in Orange County.

-snip-

Overall, state overtime soared to $481 million in 2007, from $437 million in 2006, and $415 million in 2005.

State Police had the largest amount of overtime in each of the past three years, with $43 million in 2007. Yet that was down from $52 million in 2006, records show.

Local Assemblyman Joe Errigo (R-130), who announced he would be seeking reelection to his fifth term earlier this month, has reached out to NYS Governor David Paterson urging a cap on overtime pay for state employees.

I wonder how these numbers factor into the pay equity debate?