Louisiana parish proposes measures against unnecessary overtime
In an attempt to keep overtime hours under control, on Oct. 2, the Jefferson Parish Council in Louisiana proposed that employees seeking more than 15 percent of their base pay in overtime need to request a letter from the parish president, as well as approval from an ethics committee.
The proposal is sponsored by Council Chairman Chris Roberts. In an interview with The Times-Picayune, a New Orleans newspaper, Roberts said that some parish employees earn overtime pay that is nearly equivalent to their base salaries. So far in 2013, the city has paid $3.9 million in overtime.
The measure caused some disagreement within the Jefferson Parish government. President John Young disagreed that employees should be required to get overtime approved prior to working the hours. His reasoning was that severe storms and other disasters are unpredictable.
Since 95 percent of Public Works overtime cases are based on weather and similar emergencies, the council agreed that certain parts of the measure would need to be rewritten to allow for such events.
Along with written measures such as those proposed by the Parish Council, carefully logging employee hours using time and attendance software is an effective way to ensure that employees do not log unnecessary overtime hours.
All data and information provided on this news blog is for informational purposes only. Infinisource makes no representations as to accuracy, completeness, suitability, or validity of any information on this site and will not be liable for any errors, omissions, or delays in this information or any losses, injuries, or damages arising from its display or use. All information is provided on an as-is basis. Information regarding employment suits and other legal action is not updated after publication, and may not be current.