This story has been updated with new information as of 2/9/15.
By C1 Staff
NEW YORK — State agencies in New York paid $50 million extra in overtime last year, and the Department of Corrections and Community Service paid the most.
The top overtime earner was a treatment assistant at the Mid-Hudson Psychiatric Center in New Hampton; he received $156,000 in overtime in addition to his $70,000 salary, according to the Democrat and Chronicle.
A nurse at the Franklin Correctional Facility was originally reported as having the highest number of overtime hours logged last year, with 5,000 hours reported. But the DCCS disputes the data, saying their records show she worked about 2,300 overtime hours.
Overtime wages have gained increased scrutiny as the state has cut workforce costs. State officials attribute the increase in overtime to cost cutting, while unions point to understaffing.
Some overtime claims have raised questions about record keeping – another nurse at the Bedford Hills Correctional Facility for Women claimed to have worked 192 days straight, most of her shifts being 16.5-hour overnight shifts.
The DOC paid out $180 million in overtime last year, an increase of 12 percent.