By: Diane Benjamin
This might be a State-wide policy for hourly employees. I’m positive it happens at ISU. I’ve heard prisons do the same thing, readers can tell me where else it happens. I’ve got the smartest readers on the planet (and no time to research further).
The easiest way to describe this is with an example. Employee A works 37.5 hours per week and is paid hourly.
Civil Service employees are not allowed to work less than 7.5 hours a day – whether they really work or not.
If Employee A only works 5 hours, the other 2 1/2 will be paid as personal time, vacation, whatever.
Employee A then works 10 hours the next day to get caught up. “A” is paid OVERTIME for 2 1/2 hours.
“A” hasn’t worked more than 37.5 hours, but gets paid overtime anyway. I think ISU has 11 paid holidays. In one week employees can get holiday pay for 1 day plus overtime if they work more than 7.5 hours on the other days.
Employees can take time off for a doctor’s appoint and then earn overtime for making up the hours the next day. Go home sick, work more than 7.5 hours the next day and earn overtime. The possibilities for “gaming” the system are endless.
How much has this policy cost ISU? Received under the Freedom of Information Act: (click to enlarge)
Source: University OVT-1
The FOIA request for above was:
- the total spent on overtime for Civil Service employees at Illinois State University from July 2013 to current.
- the total number of comp time hours claimed for Civil Service employees at Illinois State University from July 2013 to current.
A FOIA request was also filed for:
- a breakdown of overtime for each Department, School, and unit that falls under the office of the Provost from July 13 to current.
- a breakdown of comp time hours claimed for each Department, School, and unit that falls under the office of the Provost from July 13 to current.
This document has those results: OVT and COMP Provost office-3
Code Descriptions for above:
Now imagine what the cost is to taxpayers if this is a state-wide practice!
If it happens at ISU, mostly likely it at least happens at all State universities.
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Where is the private sector can employees get paid overtime when no overtime is actually worked?
I’m sure ISU employees can explain this further. I don’t know when double-time is paid or the exact meaning of CTT and CTU.
Comment below to fill me in.
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Move everyone to a salary? I don’t get paid one bit of overtime.
I’ve heard that some employees were salary and then moved to hourly several years ago. Think Madigan had anything to do with it?
I know a few years ago there was a massive push statewide to move A/P positions into the civil service ranks. It sounded like a ploy to push more people into a union. Thankfully, I wasn’t one of them 🙂
I do know the state civil service system is an antiquated joke that needs to be done away with.
I’m not positive but I would guess about 40% of ISU civil service employees are not union. They have no representation at ISU at all. Many of those moved from salaried to hourly work overtime and do NOT report it. These are good people who work hard. This is again a leadership issue at ISU and in the state of Illinois. All I can say is this happens. And HR encourages it. Don’t take it out on hard working people, call Jay Groves at 309-438-5727 (his direct line).
Due to the upcoming changes to the FLSA almost all of the administrative professional employees will be moved from salary to hourly. As a lot of those folks work a ton of extra “off hours” (for example residence life staff that have to respond to incidents 24/7) the amount spent on overtime is going to go way up.
Government exists ONLY for government employees (and votes).
That’s only for A/Ps making less than 50,400 (I might be a little off one the number) and below. Anyone over that stays on salary. It’s not “almost all.”
50,400 is the right number. Few in admissions make that, most academic advisors do not make that. It is a huge issue at ISU. Their have been lots of meetings related to the new FLSA laws. ISU doesn’t have the budget to pay for it.
Have you actually looked at the numbers? The last time I saw the report more than 75% of AP employees were below that cutoff. So if your argument is with the phrase “almost all” I’ll change it to “a majority.”
Yes, majority is better 🙂
No, we don’t have the budget for it, no one does! Can you imagine how much overtime an admission counselor would get when they’re on the road? Although they are grossly underpaid as it is.
Can you call me? I’m not sure what you are asking me to do.
Angie Scott
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Sorry, I wasn’t asking you to do anything.
This is the policy website that specifies the rules…
http://policy.illinoisstate.edu/employee/3-6-1.shtml
A lot of these kinds of things are mandated by federal or state law. It is up to the supervisor to keep employees in check of manipulating the system. The supervisors have very limited budgets, so it’s unlikely that there is much of this kind of gaming the system that you suggest. A lot of overtime came in recent years as information techs have been trying to bring in the new software systems that are now in place.
The residence hall staff has been paid nominal salary plus food and housing. The new laws indicate that food and housing cannot be considered as compensation, so the University is forced to raise the pay to $50 400 and figure out how to pay for it.
You are, as usual factually deficient in your post.
Sent from my iPhone
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Most people who find themselves wrong ALL the time, try to examine themselves and figure out why.