City workers hit OT jackpot

[Denise]

I think it's a shame that we as citizens don't see the work efforts they claim to provide after regular hours. If anything they just use and abuse the system, half the time they are not at work. Think about it..... Make upper managment take responsiblity!!! We will be watching.

[Interesting]

That the city is doing nothing about the $444m that the illegals are collecting in welfare. Who's in charge of that? Does anybody in the city government really know how many illegals there are? Or are they too busy making sure that 50% of the income goes to 20% of the people. Like Mexico does.

[city employee]

i have worked for the city over 5 years and have not worked overtime. OVERTIME IS NOT EASILY APPROVED!city employee's names and salary are personal information. daily news, why not post yours names and salary for the public?

[Jay]

Skyrocketing OT and wages. Who can possibly be surprised. With Villaraigosa in charge, it is easy to imagine wages and OT will continue to rise in the future. I would bet money that hispanic wages are increasing faster than non.

[Betty Dong]

I would like the Daily News to try and show on occasion the good, hard working City employees. I regularly work from a half hour to an hour extra, no OT, just because I'm dedicated to my profession, and my desire to meet deadlines and expectations. I've known of colleagues who came in on their weekends, with no OT to catch up on work because of lack of filled positiions. When a rush job or emergency comes up, people stay late to get the job done, usually with no OT offered. OT is necessary sometimes when emergencies occur but our office rarely allows it. Have you forgotten some city heros like Rory Shaw who died on the job as he was swallowed up by a sink hole? It was late at night and he was responding to an emergency. You expect people like him to show up when you need them, but then complain later they get paid too much or got too much OT. Our office definitely is aware of the budget shortfall and we are all working diligently to make the City work with less funds.

[Ray]

As a City employee I KNOW many City employees are abusing the system and getting paid overtime that they never worked. From the Police Dept. to Public Works. And in the Dept. of Transportation (DOT) some Senior Clerk-Typists in Transit will take 2 to 3 hour lunches daily to run personal errands and then expect to get overtime to finish the workload that should have been finished during regular work hours. This goes on in the City all the time! But for those blaming Mayor Villagaisosa. You also have to stop!! This smells of racism. This OT abuse has been going on for years and years way before Mayor Villaraigosa took over. It was happening the Bradley years, the Riordon years and the Hahn years. And will continue until someone puts an end to it.

[I wonder]

city employee wrote:

i have worked for the city over 5 years and have not worked overtime. OVERTIME IS NOT EASILY APPROVED!city employee's names and salary are personal information. daily news, why not post yours names and salary for the public?

Because Daily News does not work for the tax paying public. You do. The tax payers pay your salary out of taxes we pay.

[I wonder]

Ray wrote:

As a City employee I KNOW many City employees are abusing the system and getting paid overtime that they never worked. From the Police Dept. to Public Works. And in the Dept. of Transportation (DOT) some Senior Clerk-Typists in Transit will take 2 to 3 hour lunches daily to run personal errands and then expect to get overtime to finish the workload that should have been finished during regular work hours. This goes on in the City all the time! But for those blaming Mayor Villagaisosa. You also have to stop!! This smells of racism. This OT abuse has been going on for years and years way before Mayor Villaraigosa took over. It was happening the Bradley years, the Riordon years and the Hahn years. And will continue until someone puts an end to it.

After 3 years in office why hasn't the mayor put a stop to it? Tell me that? Or is he to busy paying attention to La Raza, photo opps & affairs. Supporting his illegal voting potential from being deported seems to be most on his mind. Not the real citizens of L.A. We are the last on his agenda if at all.

[Private Sector]

Interesting wrote:

That the city is doing nothing about the $444m that the illegals are collecting in welfare. Who's in charge of that? Does anybody in the city government really know how many illegals there are? Or are they too busy making sure that 50% of the income goes to 20% of the people. Like Mexico does.

I agree

[Truthfully]

My heart goes out to you. You live in Santa Clarita yet you are so angry about something that doesn't concern you. You are just so angry deep inside. You really need help.

Bureaucratic Mess wrote:

<quoted text>
Messages like yours are more evidence of the stupidty of city employees. Shut up with the "don't hate" and "don't be haters" bull. What is this, the hip hop message board? Why shouldn't taxpayers be angry about the abuse and waste of our hard earned tax dollars.
You're the highest paid bureaucrats in the country but the city has little to show for it. And yet we're supposed to feel sorry for you because you're paying higher gas prices? You bureaucrats never feel sorry for us as you demand higher fees and taxes! Plus, a high percentage of city workers get city cars and car allowances that include free gasoline -- compliments of taxpayers again.
Is it hate? Is it anger? Is it disgust? Whatever it is, it's justified.

[Truthfully]

Ditto.

Private Sector wrote:

<quoted text>
I agree

[Truthfully]

What a great concept! Ask the Daily News to print something positive? Only problem is that it wouldn't sell papers.

Betty Dong wrote:

I would like the Daily News to try and show on occasion the good, hard working City employees. I regularly work from a half hour to an hour extra, no OT, just because I'm dedicated to my profession, and my desire to meet deadlines and expectations. I've known of colleagues who came in on their weekends, with no OT to catch up on work because of lack of filled positiions. When a rush job or emergency comes up, people stay late to get the job done, usually with no OT offered. OT is necessary sometimes when emergencies occur but our office rarely allows it. Have you forgotten some city heros like Rory Shaw who died on the job as he was swallowed up by a sink hole? It was late at night and he was responding to an emergency. You expect people like him to show up when you need them, but then complain later they get paid too much or got too much OT. Our office definitely is aware of the budget shortfall and we are all working diligently to make the City work with less funds.

[Private Sector]

Worth every penny wrote:

I work very hard for my salary and i'm proud to serve the City of Los Angeles. When is the Daily News going to post all of the salaries for DWP employees? Don't we all work for the same City?

I agree. DWP salaries & names should be posted. DWP should not be EXEMPT(Daily News)

[I wonder]

Private Sector wrote:

<quoted text>
I agree. DWP salaries & names should be posted. DWP should not be EXEMPT(Daily News)

They did last year. Where were you? Oh, it didn't concern you so you didn't care at the time to take notice did you. DWP salaries are-is old news.

[DWP Salaries]

Your City salary plus $10,000.00 more. There you go. By the way, your Water and Power bill will increase due to the wonderful wage agreement our beloved Mayor signed with City Council blessing a couple of years ago.

[Ann]

I would like to see an article on how the overtime translates into real accomplishments of city employees' work. How has working overtime helped provide services to the public living in Los Angeles? There must be a lot of positive stories and real world examples of how city employees are working towards providing such services. Yes, we want to know about unnecessary overtime being taken. But when there are more negative stories about local government than positive ones, our perspective shifts towards having no faith in government. There are many bright, energetic, skilled city employees who actually do their work and contribute towards improving services to the people in the City of Los Angeles.

[Peter Lee -Koreatown]

The Airport,Seaprt can afford it, but the rest of the city been getting away with it for years without GUILT!

[Thank you]

Thank you! Thank you! Thank you! I have worked for the City for the last 27 years; most of it at LAPD Rampart Division. Approximately 3 years ago a new supervisor was hired for the Records Unit and we have been complaining about the amount of overtime she works. We complained to her, the Captain and Internal Affairs, the only that happened is her retaliation against us. We've had it and hope now the citizens of LA can get the Mayor to stop this greed. Firefighters, police officers, paramedics and 911 operators need the cash overtime. Lives are on the line. Cash overtime isn't needed for the work our supervisor does. She created projects and backlogs for her to get this cash overtime. I just hope the Mayor does listen and realize that he wouldn't have to lay anyone off if someone would just use some common sense and make sure the overtime is justified.

Your article states that the overtime was worked from April 2007 - April 2008. She made over $19,000 and we didn't have any cash overtime from March 2007 to December 2007, so that's just from January 2008.

Can't wait to see what retaliation she comes up with now.

[Private]

I don't appreciate the fact that you put this information so easily accesible to people. Have you given ANY thought to people personal lives that may be damaged because of this. I have a restraining order against someone who doesn't even know that i still work for the city. Now, thanks to your news paper you have made it totally easy for him to not only find out that I do work for the city but he also knows the department as well. I don't see what a persons name and job title have to do with the city's overtime budget. Not only will I NEVER EVER by this newspaper again but I will encourage all the other city employess that same.

[fcc]

i know alot of people who work for the city. they tell me they work saturdays and do nothing all day. some go shopping, run errands, bring their kids, and others just claim the hours.

all these cheating bastards should be fired.