A state comptroller’s audit of Office of Court Administration overtime payments between 2009 and 2011 said that with few exceptions, the payments were accurately computed and documented, but persistently lacked supporting documentation. It said that of 196 overtime payments randomly examined, 110 lacked the requisite written pre-approval and 86 lacked documentation to show an appropriate review was undertaken to identity possible alternatives to the overtime.
The audit covered the period from April 1, 2009, through March 31, 2011, when the 13,000 overtime-eligible employees were paid $73.4 million in overtime. Comptroller Thomas DiNapoli said the OCA has made a concerted effort to contain overtime expenses in recent years and reduced its overtime expenses by $1.5 million, or 4.3 percent, between December 2007 and March 31, 2011. His audit recommends that OCA ensure that all supervisory personnel understand and comply with rules for the pre-approval and documentation of overtime costs.
