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Overtime should be the same, lawmakers say

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Staff and Wire Report
June 1, 2009

Overtime rules for all state employees, including legislative aides, should be the same, according to local legislators.

“I think all state employees should be subject to the same policies,” Rep. Carl Rollins, D-Midway said today.

Aides to the Kentucky General Assembly’s legislative leaders have been getting paid for thousands of dollars worth of overtime in recent years.

Twenty-three aides to House and Senate leaders have collected almost $300,000 in overtime over the past four years, the LexingtonHerald-Leader reported. During that time, the legislature has slashed most government agencies’ budgets.


Sen. Julian Carroll, D-Frankfort, said he was unaware legislative aides received overtime pay – he said he thought they received “comp time” like other employees. Carroll said he hopes legislative leaders will enact stricter policies.

“If they fail to do so, we can do it with legislation,” Carroll said.

Rep. Derrick Graham, D-Frankfort, said legislators need to re-examine the demands they place on staffers. He said he’s seen instances in which aides work 23 hours a day and only go home to take a shower.

Some Kentucky House employees earned more than $10,000 per year in overtime, the newspaper reported. John Gillig, former chief of staff for to then House Speaker Jody Richards, D-Bowling Green, received more than $9,000 in overtime in 2006, in addition to his salary of $106,000.

Stephanie Kirtley, former chief of staff for House Republican Leader Jeff Hoover, also accumulated overtime between 2006 and 2008, in addition to her salary of $99,000.

Becky Barnes, chief of staff to then House Majority Whip Joe Barrows, D-Versailles got $25,000 in overtime between June 2006 and January 2007.

Rep. Greg Stumbo, D-Prestonsburg who is in his first year as House speaker, says leaders will have to examine overtime policies. The Senate has different overtime rules than the House.

There are 58 aides — out of 439 total Legislative Research Commission employees — who work directly for legislative leaders. Senate President David Williams said he approves requests for overtime on a case-by-case basis. He also said overtime is only paid at the regular rate – not time and a half.




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Previous 10 Comments   Next 10 Comments of 27 Total Comments
17.
    Posted by Tamed-Shrew June 2, 2009
Most agencies require you to take vacation time to use up accumulated comp. time, before they'll pay out a block 50.

16.
    Posted by Ckought June 2, 2009
1: Some people have the option of either taking comp-time or getting paid for overtime. 2: Some people get regular comp-time over 40 hours, and some get time-and-a-half comp-time over 40 hours. It all depends on what agency you work for and what your job position is.

15.
    Posted by trying June 1, 2009
TMGRIGSBY, block 50 still exists. It's just futile to ask for an early payout (after 150 hours). They have to pay out at 240.

That said, for the regular state employee it's hard to get 240 together or even another 50 after a block 50 has been paid. Overtime is pretty much not allowed anymore unless absolutely necessary (to meet deadlines set by law, which absolutely positively cannot be moved, not even when hell freezes over).

14.
    Posted by HaightAshbury June 1, 2009
Franklin County's own "senior" representative states he was unaware legislative aides receive overtime pay. You have a budget for your office and you're a clueless on where the money goes. Can't wait to hear your opinions on the budget.

13.
    Posted by ronaldrthompson1 June 1, 2009
yeah!

12.
    Posted by Tabo June 1, 2009
I may have missed this if it was stated before, but are LRC employees covered by the Merit System?

11.
    Posted by Tamed-Shrew June 1, 2009
Also, much of the "overtime" earned is sitting around, waiting for dismissal. Granted, some things are done by some hard-working people, but not everyone is "busy" those 23 hours.

10.
    Posted by Velvetymold June 1, 2009
Went up to one of those lounges once....plush!

9.
    Posted by capitolgirl June 1, 2009
you all don't know the half of it - ever seen the blue van backed up at krogers during a session loading drinks, snacks, coffee, you name it for the legislative lounge? and someone should do an open records request on how much the tax payers have spent sending legislators/staff to all the legislative conferences during the summer - i think they attend at least two each year - let's see the tab for that one while we cut more social workers, police and teachers.....nice.

8.
    Posted by hothead1 June 1, 2009
They should force them to come to an agreement before they come together. And then they should just vote on it. That wouldn't cost as much.

Yes, Williams will not budge on gambling or tax increases. I haven't seen him sell his office furniture or wide screen. They all should be ashamed of themselves.

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