Federal workers claim $8.7 million in unearned overtime pay
Federal employees of the Department of Homeland Security have been claiming overtime for unworked hours, costing about $8.7 million a year.
The workers frequently dip into the overtime budget, known as Administratively Uncontrollable Overtime, adding up to 25 percent per paycheck. The AUO budget exists to compensate for emergencies and other work that cannot be anticipated. The DHS employees call it the "candy bowl," according to the Washington Post.
The federal Office of Special Counsel investigated the issue when several whistle-blowers came forward about it. According to the newspaper, the practice of claiming AUO is so rampant that it supervisors describe it as a perk when hiring new employees.
In an interview with the Post, Carolyn Lerner, special counsel at the OSC, said use of AUO is so pervasive that many workers in the department now consider the unearned overtime pay part of their compensation.
James F. Tomsheck, assistant commissioner for internal affairs at Customs and Border Patrol issued a written statement saying the department would work towards fixing the problem and instruct employees on proper use of the funds.
To avoid employee time abuse, it is necessary to use time attendance software in addition to maintaining strict policies on when overtime budgets may be used.
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