Overtime rising in NJ prisons to 775,000 hours, $38 million

TRENTON — Overtime costs in the state Department of Corrections have gotten the attention of state lawmakers – growing 4% from last year at a cost of $38 million and up more than 15 percent from the levels five years earlier.

Overtime hours are projected to top 775,000 this year, said acting Corrections Commissioner Marcus Hicks at legislative budget hearings. That equals what more than 370 corrections officers would work in a full year without overtime.

Hicks said the trouble is two-fold: Recruiting classes have been getting smaller, and more than 1 in 5 corrections officers leave for a new job within three years of being hired.

“In recent years, we’ve seen decreases in the number of recruits that are coming through our academy, which puts a strain sometimes on our filling of vacancies.”

Hicks said past academy classes had more than 200 corrections officers enrolled. The current class has 79. He also said about 21 percent of custody staff leaves the department within three years of being hired.

“I know it’s not just us. I know that State Police is also having issues with recruitment and things of that nature. But we’re really feeling it.”

The overtime averages around $4,500 for each employee in the Department of Corrections, adding about 7.5% to the department-wide average salary. However, 35 people drew down more than $40,000 in OT last year.

Assemblyman John Burzichelli, D-Gloucester, said $38 million “is not insignificant.”

“We have a $38 billion budget, but $38 million in your budget if it’s not all directed to overtime, you find a better use for – or not a better use, another use,” Burzichelli said. “There’s so much need.”

“Not that we want to take money from you, but the more efficient you’re running, other things you can take on to do that I’m sure you want to do,” he said. “Every million dollars seems to add up. But 775,000 hours of overtime, as big as your operation is, just seems like a lot.”

The most overtime

Department of Corrections employees who get more than $30,000 a year in overtime alone.

RAYMOND WHITEHEAD
Position: ELECTRICIAN
Base salary: $81,511
Overtime: $78,429
Total pay: $162,006
LIONEL WHITEHEAD
Position: SR CRRECTNL POLC OFCR
Base salary: $78,445
Overtime: $68,981
Total pay: $147,426
STEVEN P WHITLOCK
Position: MANAGER 3, HUMAN RESOURCES
Base salary: $83,030
Overtime: $68,820
Total pay: $151,850
JOHNNY S WICKLIFFE
Position: PRINCIPAL PAYROLL CLERK
Base salary: $95,238
Overtime: $68,694
Total pay: $163,932
ANTHONY WIGGINS
Position: TEACHER I 12 MONTHS
Base salary: $63,236
Overtime: $64,527
Total pay: $135,770
MARK A WILBERT
Position: CLASSIFICATION OFFICER 2
Base salary: $83,030
Overtime: $60,245
Total pay: $143,276
KRYSTAL D WILBERT
Position: CLERK TYPIST
Base salary: $83,030
Overtime: $56,783
Total pay: $139,814
BRIAN WILCOX
Position: SUPERVISOR OF CHAPLAINCY SERVICES
Base salary: $70,178
Overtime: $53,626
Total pay: $123,805
FRANKLYN WILDER
Position: CRRECTNL POLC OFCR APPRNTC
Base salary: $58,774
Overtime: $53,473
Total pay: $112,797
TYRONE WILENSKI
Position: CLASSIFICATION OFFICER 3
Base salary: $78,445
Overtime: $52,650
Total pay: $131,094
JOSEPH A WILKE
Position: INVESTIGATOR 3
Base salary: $83,030
Overtime: $51,156
Total pay: $134,186
ANTHONY D WILLE
Position: CRRECTNL POLC MJR
Base salary: $86,578
Overtime: $50,452
Total pay: $137,029
GRANT A WILLEVER
Position: DATA BASE ANALYST I
Base salary: $88,352
Overtime: $48,440
Total pay: $137,158
FREDRICK W WILLIAMS
Position: CRRECTNL POLC OFCR APPRNTC
Base salary: $88,142
Overtime: $47,429
Total pay: $157,385
STEVEN C WILLIAMS
Position: CRRECTNL POLC OFCR APPRNTC
Base salary: $85,764
Overtime: $46,907
Total pay: $139,641
BERTHA M WILLIAMS
Position: SOCIAL WORKER 2
Base salary: $108,466
Overtime: $46,841
Total pay: $173,668
ALVARO WILLIAMS
Position: INSTITUTIONAL TRADE INSTRUCTOR 2
Base salary: $102,087
Overtime: $45,508
Total pay: $160,960
JEROME WILLIAMS
Position: TEACHER III 12 MONTHS
Base salary: $83,030
Overtime: $45,161
Total pay: $128,192
JOHN D WILLIAMS
Position: CLASSIFICATION OFFICER 3
Base salary: $102,087
Overtime: $45,106
Total pay: $167,328
JASMIN R WILLIAMS
Position: CRRECTNL POLC OFCR APPRNTC
Base salary: $48,560
Overtime: $44,836
Total pay: $93,396
KESHAUN WILLIAMS
Position: CLASSIFICATION OFFICER 1
Base salary: $56,885
Overtime: $44,795
Total pay: $102,230
JOSE L WILLIAMS
Position: SENIOR CLERK TYPIST
Base salary: $100,898
Overtime: $44,662
Total pay: $155,575
KAREN E WILLIAMS
Position: CRRECTNL POLC OFCR
Base salary: $111,060
Overtime: $44,255
Total pay: $164,186
DUANE T WILLIAMS
Position: CRRECTNL POLC OFCR APPRNTC
Base salary: $108,466
Overtime: $43,979
Total pay: $166,359
AILEEN J WILLIAMS
Position: CRRECTNL POLC OFCR APPRNTC
Base salary: $95,238
Overtime: $43,159
Total pay: $138,397
SHONTAYA WILLIAMS
Position: SPVR INFO TECHNGY HLP DSK
Base salary: $56,147
Overtime: $43,119
Total pay: $99,816
ERIC L WILLIAMS
Position: STOREKEEPER 1
Base salary: $83,030
Overtime: $41,629
Total pay: $124,659
SHAULIC T WILLIAMS
Position: SR CRRECTNL POLC OFCR
Base salary: $54,244
Overtime: $41,487
Total pay: $96,219
RANDY H WILLIAMS
Position: INSTITUTIONAL TRADE INSTRUCTOR 1
Base salary: $80,254
Overtime: $41,222
Total pay: $121,476
SAUD A WILLIAMSON
Position: CRRECTNL POLC OFCR APPRNTC
Base salary: $61,912
Overtime: $41,047
Total pay: $102,959
WAYNE C WILLIS
Position: SR CRRECTNL POLC OFCR
Base salary: $86,578
Overtime: $41,023
Total pay: $127,601
BRIAN K WILLIS
Position: CRRECTNL POLC OFCR
Base salary: $102,087
Overtime: $40,984
Total pay: $169,257
ISRAEL A WILLITTS
Position: TECHNICIAN,MANAGEMENT INFORMATION SYSTEMS
Base salary: $83,030
Overtime: $40,820
Total pay: $123,850
DAVID C WILSON
Position: SR CRRECTNL POLC OFCR
Base salary: $83,030
Overtime: $40,587
Total pay: $123,617
THOMAS WILSON
Position: CLASSIFICATION OFFICER 1
Base salary: $82,072
Overtime: $40,120
Total pay: $122,831
DOMINIQUE L WILSON-CARTER
Position: CRRECTNL POLC OFCR APPRNTC
Base salary: $82,711
Overtime: $39,657
Total pay: $122,687
STEVEN M WIMBUSH
Position: PRINCIPAL CLERK TYPIST
Base salary: $64,667
Overtime: $39,621
Total pay: $104,288
DWAYNE E WINSLOW
Position: EXECUTIVE ASSISTANT 2
Base salary: $70,769
Overtime: $38,892
Total pay: $109,661
FELICIA L WINTERMUTE
Position: TEACHER II 12 MONTHS
Base salary: $54,351
Overtime: $38,321
Total pay: $93,891
VICTOR L WISE
Position: SENIOR INVESTIGATOR PAROLE SECURED
Base salary: $91,331
Overtime: $38,278
Total pay: $147,290
SEAN M WISELY
Position: CLASSIFICATION OFFICER 1
Base salary: $83,030
Overtime: $38,156
Total pay: $121,186
CESAR D WISSING
Position: STOREKEEPER 1
Base salary: $82,711
Overtime: $37,964
Total pay: $120,994
DANIEL F WISZNIEWSKI
Position: ASSISTANT ENGINEER IN CHARGE MAINTENANCE 1
Base salary: $83,030
Overtime: $37,820
Total pay: $120,850
BRIAN S WOLF
Position: SR CRRECTNL POLC OFCR
Base salary: $83,030
Overtime: $37,168
Total pay: $120,198
MICHAEL C WOLF
Position: INSTITUTIONAL TRADE INSTRUCTOR 1
Base salary: $108,466
Overtime: $37,127
Total pay: $165,529
WILSON L WOMACK
Position: CRRECTNL POLC OFCR APPRNTC
Base salary: $83,030
Overtime: $37,027
Total pay: $120,057
ARTHUR R WOODALL
Position: CLASSIFICATION OFFICER 3
Base salary: $83,030
Overtime: $36,964
Total pay: $119,994
JUSTIN T WOODS
Position: TECHL ASST 2 PRCHSG
Base salary: $102,087
Overtime: $36,870
Total pay: $160,830
JOHN WOODSON
Position: SENIOR CLERK TYPIST
Base salary: $51,316
Overtime: $36,734
Total pay: $89,120
ROBIN WOODWARD
Position: MANAGING PHYSICIAN/PSYCHIATRIST
Base salary: $102,087
Overtime: $36,406
Total pay: $163,818
CARMEN WOOLSON
Position: SENIOR AUDIT ACCOUNT CLERK
Base salary: $70,178
Overtime: $36,394
Total pay: $106,572
DANA M WOULARD
Position: SR CRRECTNL POLC OFCR
Base salary: $83,030
Overtime: $35,982
Total pay: $119,012
PHILIP S WRIGHT
Position: CHAPLAIN
Base salary: $83,030
Overtime: $35,940
Total pay: $118,970
SHERRY L WRIGHT
Position: SR CRRECTNL POLC OFCR
Base salary: $83,030
Overtime: $35,808
Total pay: $118,838
BEVERLY WRIGHT
Position: TEACHER I 12 MONTHS
Base salary: $82,392
Overtime: $35,635
Total pay: $118,026
JAMES WRIGHT
Position: SENIOR CLERK
Base salary: $95,238
Overtime: $35,576
Total pay: $130,814
DARYL L WRIGHT
Position: TEACHER I 12 MONTHS
Base salary: $105,871
Overtime: $35,481
Total pay: $162,850
DAVID W WRIGHT
Position: SFTWRE DEV SPCLST 3
Base salary: $83,030
Overtime: $35,120
Total pay: $118,150
PAUL J WRIGHT
Position: CRRECTNL POLC SGT
Base salary: $83,030
Overtime: $35,066
Total pay: $118,096
HECTOR M WURM
Position: SECRETARIAL ASSISTANT 1
Base salary: $108,666
Overtime: $35,055
Total pay: $157,491
ALICE WUZZARDO
Position: PRINCIPAL CLERK TYPIST
Base salary: $59,088
Overtime: $34,931
Total pay: $95,755
PAUL A WYCHE
Position: SR CRRECTNL POLC OFCR
Base salary: $75,689
Overtime: $34,702
Total pay: $110,391
CHERYL WYNN
Position: CLASSIFICATION OFFICER 2
Base salary: $94,083
Overtime: $34,688
Total pay: $152,104
BRENDA XIFO
Position: STOREKEEPER 1
Base salary: $83,030
Overtime: $34,629
Total pay: $117,659
JEFFREY A YAINDL
Position: CLASSIFICATION OFFICER 2
Base salary: $105,722
Overtime: $34,620
Total pay: $156,472
JAMES YAROS
Position: SUPERVISOR OF EDUCATIONAL PROGRAMS 1
Base salary: $82,839
Overtime: $34,605
Total pay: $117,443
DEREK N YATES
Position: ADMINISTRATOR, PRISON COMPLEX
Base salary: $83,030
Overtime: $34,515
Total pay: $117,545
SAMUEL YODERS-DEY
Position: SPVG CLASSIF OFCR
Base salary: $78,445
Overtime: $34,378
Total pay: $112,822
WILLIAM YORLANO
Position: SOCIAL WORKER 1
Base salary: $75,689
Overtime: $34,063
Total pay: $109,752
GERARD A YOUNG
Position: STOREKEEPER 1
Base salary: $111,060
Overtime: $33,970
Total pay: $153,901
PHILIP O YOUNG
Position: ADMINV ANLT 1
Base salary: $83,030
Overtime: $33,820
Total pay: $116,850
KATRINA M YUHASZ
Position: TEACHER I 12 MONTHS
Base salary: $55,392
Overtime: $33,459
Total pay: $89,689
WILLIAM R YUSUFF
Position: CHAPLAIN
Base salary: $89,739
Overtime: $33,305
Total pay: $123,044
MATTHEW E ZADOROZNY
Position: SR CRRECTNL POLC OFCR
Base salary: $83,030
Overtime: $33,269
Total pay: $116,300
GUSTAVO E ZARO
Position: SOCIAL WORKER 2
Base salary: $77,092
Overtime: $33,221
Total pay: $110,313
COREY A ZARRIELLO
Position: CLERK TYPIST
Base salary: $95,709
Overtime: $33,212
Total pay: $159,475
MICHAEL ZEIS
Position: SPECIAL SERVICES
Base salary: $83,030
Overtime: $33,090
Total pay: $116,120
WILFREDO ZERRA
Position: SECRETARIAL ASSISTANT 1
Base salary: $83,030
Overtime: $32,814
Total pay: $115,845
DARREN M ZETTLEMOYER
Position: SOCIAL WORKER 1
Base salary: $67,607
Overtime: $32,755
Total pay: $100,362
FRANCIS J ZGOBA
Position: RESEARCH SCIENTIST 1
Base salary: $83,416
Overtime: $32,745
Total pay: $116,161
STEPHEN M ZIEMIAK
Position: SECTION SUPERVISOR FISCAL RESOURCES
Base salary: $83,030
Overtime: $32,718
Total pay: $115,749
SAMUEL ZIMMERMAN
Position: HEARING OFFICER INMATE DISCIPLINARY PROGRAM
Base salary: $72,934
Overtime: $32,181
Total pay: $105,114
DANA M ZINSKY
Position: TEACHER I 12 MONTHS
Base salary: $83,030
Overtime: $32,078
Total pay: $115,108
DARRIN ZIRILLO
Position: INSTITUTIONAL TRADE INSTRUCTOR 2
Base salary: $83,030
Overtime: $32,078
Total pay: $115,108
CARYN C ZOLL
Position: CRRECTNL POLC OFCR APPRNTC
Base salary: $58,843
Overtime: $32,031
Total pay: $92,654
LANCE P ZOLLER
Position: LOCKSMITH
Base salary: $83,030
Overtime: $31,826
Total pay: $114,856
DAVID J ZOOK
Position: DPTY CHF INVSTGR DEPT OF CRRECTNS
Base salary: $83,030
Overtime: $31,395
Total pay: $114,425
RODNEY ZORRILLA
Position: SR CRRECTNL POLC OFCR
Base salary: $83,030
Overtime: $30,850
Total pay: $113,880
EDLYN P ZUCCARO
Position: TEACHER II 12 MONTHS
Base salary: $83,030
Overtime: $30,786
Total pay: $113,817
THOMAS P ZUHOWSKI
Position: CRRECTNL POLC OFCR APPRNTC
Base salary: $100,898
Overtime: $30,753
Total pay: $138,811
MARK D HALL
Position: CHIEF OPERATING ENGINEER 1
Base salary: $102,087
Overtime: $30,658
Total pay: $158,644
JAIME HINTON
Position: SR CRRECTNL POLC OFCR
Base salary: $83,030
Overtime: $30,647
Total pay: $113,677
MICHAEL J KENNEY
Position: SR CRRECTNL POLC OFCR
Base salary: $89,845
Overtime: $30,522
Total pay: $134,658
ARNALDO F ELEY
Position: CRRECTNL POLC SGT
Base salary: $83,030
Overtime: $30,461
Total pay: $113,491
JOSEPH DELVALLE
Position: CREW SUPERVISOR BUILDING MAINTENANCE PROGRAMS
Base salary: $95,343
Overtime: $30,366
Total pay: $152,326
TOM J LITTLES
Position: SR CRRECTNL POLC OFCR
Base salary: $83,030
Overtime: $30,353
Total pay: $113,383
HUGO CROSS
Position: SR CRRECTNL POLC OFCR
Base salary: $86,578
Overtime: $30,071
Total pay: $116,649

Hicks favorably compares the current amount of overtime to 2010, when it exceeded 1 million hours. But he said it’s higher than the 745,416 clocked last year and that overtime had been around $32 million to $33 million for a few years before climbing in 2016.

“We do see a fairly decent amount of attrition, especially when it comes to our custody officers,” Hicks said. “We’re losing about 16 officers per period, which over time adds up and can be significant.”

Assemblyman John DiMaio, R-Warren, said the state should consider a contract requiring recruits to spend a set minimum number of years on the job, to recoup the value of training costs.

“They should be making a more full commitment to you, if you’re going to put them through that, and now they can easily escape for a different type of job that may be their ultimate goal,” DiMaio said. “Maybe they should go there first.”

Hicks said the state can, and does, pursue reimbursements for training costs by new employers of correctional police officers who don’t work long for the state’s prisons.

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