Wayne County jail affected by overtime budget
On Oct. 1, the beginning of the fiscal year, Mich. Wayne County Sheriff Benny Napolean announced jail deputies would not be able to work hours in excess of 40 after the overtime budget had been depleted.
Not even a month later, the $3.7 million overtime budget for the sheriff's office is expected to run out, according to the Detroit Free Press.
Staffing in the facility has been a consistent problem for the county, which spent more than $17 million in overtime between three jails last year.
To deal with the issue, Napolean proposed hiring 150 new deputies to reduce overtime hours, however the County Commission only approved 38 new positions for the 2013-14 fiscal year. A deputy's starting salary is $28,000, while tenured workers make $50,000 per year. The deputies earning overtime on a higher pay grade dig into the budget more significantly.
The Free Press reported that a new jail facility was supposed to address staffing issues. Technology in the $300 million facility was expected to reduce the number of deputies needed to oversee inmates, but that structure remains unfinished. Instead, county officials are planning to eliminate the jail facility and renovate the former Mound Correctional Facility as a justice complex that would include a courthouse and jailing facilities for 2,600 inmates.
Whether or not workplaces are affected by budget constraints, it is important to maintain accurate records of employee time so that workers can be compensated when they do run into overtime hours.
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