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Recommendations:

I. The City Administration Should Maintain Cl

ose Attention To The Authorization Of Overtime

Overtime is an area that requires constant attention

and management by the city administration, based on

the substantial cost associated with this

form of compensation funded by taxpayers.

This office has seen a continued pattern into 20

10 of individuals accumulating overtime when other

individuals with like titles or responsibilities receive

none. This raises immediate questions as to the

allocation of work to staff. It also raises questi

ons as to the fairness of handing out overtime to specific

individuals.

And lastly, it raises repeated questions as to why an

y administrative or clerical staff would, in any

situation, receive overtime on a re-occurring basis.

During any fiscal year, regardless of the actual amount

budgeted for overtime, department heads should

make a concerted effort to bring overtime costs

in under budget, as a normal course of doing business.

II. Non-Essential Overtime Should Be Kept To A Minimum

Innovative solutions should be explored to minimi

ze and eliminate overtime for non essential services.

The Office of City Auditor pulled titles in its review

of overtime. Administrative & Clerical titles such

as “administrative assistant”, “paralegals”, “stock

clerks”, “store keepers”, “information aides”, and

“typists” ………..

all incurred overtime

.

The office of the City Auditor could not come to

a conclusion that would justify such titles receiving

overtime or why some individuals received con

tinuous overtime every single pay period.

The administration and the Council need to ask depa

rtment heads why individuals in these titles are

receiving overtime.

Finally overtime in non-essential services should be

eliminated, while overtime in operational services

must continue to be managed on a daily basis.

Philip J. LaTessa

Syracuse City Auditor

City of Syracuse

September 28, 2010