An estimated 571 full-time, non-union workers in agencies spread across government—many of whom are salaried supervisors—hold dual positions, which allows moonlighting, otherwise restricted overtime pay and other perks.
The Office of State Controller released the information after it became known a few weeks ago that the California Public Employees’ Retirement System (CalPERS) had employees who were collecting two paychecks. The Sacramento Bee counted 50 managers picking up an additional $900 each in November hourly pay.
CalPERS’ defense was: Everybody does it. And, indeed, many agencies do.
State data identifies nearly a dozen agencies that allow the double paychecks, including the Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation, where 75 lieutenants also moonlight as sergeants or correctional officers and 55 sergeants double-dip in lesser jobs, too. The Department of Social Services has 101 employees receiving two checks.
CalPERS said they started doing it two years ago and that the practice saved money on overtime. But a week after the program was publicized, CalPERS said it would suspend the practice it believed to be perfectly legal and ethical.
Not everyone agrees about the legal point. “In my humble opinion, it risks violating federal labor law” because of the salaried and hourly employee blending, ex-state Personnel Director Dave Gilb told the Bee.
The Brown administration announced on Wednesday that it wanted to take a closer look at the practice of receiving more than one paycheck, but did not suspend its use. Instead, the Department of Human Resources (CalHR) will review the policy and, in the interim, sign off on any more “additional appointments.”
Republican Assemblyman Jeff Gorell quickly introduced legislation to ban salaried state employees from holding more than one state job, and jawboned about an absent executive branch and unsupervised government functionaries.
–Ken Broder
To Learn More:
California Restricts Hiring after Dual-Paycheck Revelations (by Anthony York, Los Angeles Times)
Many State Workers Hold More than One Job; Brown Administration Puts a Brake on the Practice (by Jon Ortiz, Sacramento Bee)