newsobserver.com projects - state employees - Comments

Re: Comp time bill coming due

bigdogops — Mon, 15 Jun 2009 17:59:19 -0400

Excuse my ignorance, but since when is being compensated for time worked a "PERK"??? If I work a sixty hour week in the public sector, I just made twenty hours of overtime pay, at time-and-a-half. If I work sixty hours on my state job, I don't get overtime, I get comp time, at 1:1. I'd rather be getting paid for it, so how is this a perk? Most state employees who are earning overtime, because of more work to do with less staff, and the one's who are there, now have furlough time to get off the books!

Re: Comp time bill coming due

kevin_smith5 — Mon, 15 Jun 2009 12:54:48 -0400

Can't speak for anyone else, but I get comp time all the time and never get to use it before it expires. Contrary to what the article states, teachers are not allowed to use comp time for sick days. I work all the optional teacher work days (as do most of my co-workers) because there is too much to do. In fact right this second I am taking a break from packing up the school for the year to keep the summer cleaning crews from breaking stuff when they wax the floors, even though my last official day I was paid to work was Friday....and no, I am not getting comp time for it, it just needs doing.

Re: Comp time bill coming due

pgmurphy — Mon, 15 Jun 2009 11:08:21 -0400

I should also point out that supervisors must approve the usage of vacation and comp time leave. The refusal of a supervisor to grant this leave (on a one time or routine basis) is not a grievable matter. The truth is, most comp time earned is never reported and most comp time reported is never taken.

Re: Comp time bill coming due

scharrison — Mon, 15 Jun 2009 10:52:33 -0400

"To clarify, comp time is NOT used towards retirement, it is forfeited at the end of the year or sooner. Unused sick leave is used for retirement. Effectively, you get to use all of your sick leave before you turn in your retirement paperwork."

That is addressed in the article:

All employees can substitute comp time for sick leave or vacation time, protecting those balances for the future. They can also use comp time to protect weeks of bonus leave that many state workers have received in lieu of raises since 2002.

Which, if you read the article the way the writers want you to, appears as if state employees are "gaming" the system. But what the writers of this article so casually refused to acknowledge is: if an employee is in a department that is so understaffed that extra hours of work are demanded (however it's compensated), actually using the hours of vacation, sick or comp time that have accrued is not as easy as it sounds.

In other words, there is hardly ever a "good" time to take the days off, and regardless of rules and regulations protecting an employee from arbitrary termination, someone who does take time off frequently, even authorized time, is flirting with unemployment. There's more than one way to skin a cat, and there's more than one way to get rid of an employee who seems to be less "dedicated" than others.

So, my question for Dan Kane and David Raynor (or Mark) is: if an employee finds his or herself in a situation where they can't use (all) their comp time before it expires, do you think it's fair that they lose said compensation? That would mean that the State was able to work them for nothing, wouldn't it?

Comp time is not a perk, it is deferred compensation. The State is basically saying, "I will gladly pay you later for work you do for me today." Rolling those deferred dollars into the State's accumulated debt total is fine and even accurate, but trying to portray this as a "benefit granted" to "powerful special interests" is patently unfair and inaccurate.

Re: Comp time bill coming due

pgmurphy — Mon, 15 Jun 2009 09:55:19 -0400

To clarify, comp time is NOT used towards retirement, it is forfeited at the end of the year or sooner. Unused sick leave is used for retirement. Effectively, you get to use all of your sick leave before you turn in your retirement paperwork.

Re: Comp time bill coming due

diggs62 — Mon, 15 Jun 2009 09:46:21 -0400

It seems by the number of comments, that the N&O article has misled the public on this subject. I was especially taken aback when someone retires that the comp time is added to their retirement. It seems that the N&O article raises more questions than answers. I'm not a state employee, but why raise these questions knowing that NC is going through its worst economic period in its history. The lawmakers know about this, but no one wants to challenge it because they do not want to be the one who ends this practice. But something must be done. I feel for state employees because they are getting squeezed from all different directions, even giving up some of their pay and taking unpaid time off to help with the budget, while the state is going up on health benefits. They should have saw this coming down the road.

Re: Comp time bill coming due

pgmurphy — Mon, 15 Jun 2009 09:13:19 -0400

To clarify, the only state employees that receive comp time are the ones who would otherwise be entitled to overtime by federal law. This is a cost saver, not a perk.

Re: Comp time bill coming due

pgmurphy — Mon, 15 Jun 2009 09:11:20 -0400

This article was very misleading. Many state employees are not permitted to accrue comp time. I often work 60+ hour weeks but do not receive any compensation for it. Also, comp time is still saving the state money. Overtime or additional shifts would cost much more.

Also, I don't know what whack job would look at SAS's unlimited sick leave policy and say that state employees have a better deal. State employees earn 1 sick day per month. Sure, they can count as time worked towards retirement, which encourages employees not to take sick days unless they have to. SAS encourages employees to take sick days whenever they feel bad as a precaution. Also, what are the odds that younger employees will even get their pension?

The truth is state government is understaffed, with workers that are underpaid and have poor benefits. State government continues to lose its best workers to private industry, which is largely to blame for the inefficiencies in state government.

Re: Comp time bill coming due

bnartist — Mon, 15 Jun 2009 08:29:29 -0400

Deferred payment in the form of leave for unpaid overtime over 40 hours a week may be a perk for the State but not for the employee.

It's essentially a no-interest loan for the State which gets to be repaid at 2/3 the principal.

Maybe Wal-Mart could avoid labor laws by treating working off the clock as a "perk". They could even book it as an expense and avoid more NC taxes.

The "flexible furlough" is a similar deal. Take money from employees now, pay it back later with leave.

Re: Comp time bill coming due

informed — Mon, 15 Jun 2009 07:43:46 -0400

ktuscan, pure FUD. Back up your wide flung net with facts, not misinformation. Which agency do you work for, and how much waste is there? This article is right on when it states the Legislature is reluctant to take take on State employees.

Re: Comp time bill coming due

ktuscan — Mon, 15 Jun 2009 06:29:30 -0400

Calling it a perk is not correct. Instead of time off, would you rather pay the overtime and time-and-a-half? State employees are covered under Federal labor laws just like everybody else. Why do so many need to work overtime? Is there not enough staff?

Re: Comp time bill coming due

PaulTerrell — Mon, 15 Jun 2009 06:12:11 -0400

There has to be limits. State workers have always complained that their pay is less than the private sector. I would love to have a comp system like this but I don't. Keep up the good work exposing the truth.

Re: Health Plan fix ready for Senate vote

captainjack — Mon, 16 Mar 2009 10:49:14 -0400

It would be un-American to make the individual responsible for their own health. A person's heath should be the responsibility of the government. If we choose to smoke, drink or eat like a big, sweaty hog.....that's our right. Healthy people just don't know all the fun they are missing by not getting fat, smoking and waking up with a hangover.

Re: Health Plan fix ready for Senate vote

Steel_67 — Mon, 16 Mar 2009 07:53:01 -0400

Blaming your medication for being overweight is irresponsible. Instead of popping open a bag of chips while watching Oprah tell you how many problems you have go for a walk or hit the gym. After working in the fitness industry for many years I've heard about every excuse (including antidepressants). Nobody wants to take personal responsibility.

Re: Health Plan fix ready for Senate vote

hanely — Thu, 12 Mar 2009 16:03:49 -0400

Obviously you know not of what you speak - go ask a psychiatrist.