Senate approves overtime pay for select state employees

The Senate approved legislation Tuesday to provide financial relief to certain state employees who are required to work overtime. Sen. Paul Rosino (R-Oklahoma City) is the Senate principal author of House Bill 2465 that beginning January 1, 2020, will require all state employees making less than $31,000 annually to receive overtime pay rather than comp time for all hours worked over 40 per week.

“This is an important bill to provide a financial boost for Oklahoma’s lowest paid state employees. These public servants are often required to work overtime but typically aren’t able to use their comp time because of short staffing in their particular agencies,” Rosino said. “This bill will allow them to get paid for their overtime instead of getting comp time they may never get to use.”

According to the Office of Management and Enterprise Services, there are approximately 170 state employees in 21 different agencies earning less than $31,000 annually who are currently exempt from earning overtime pay.

HB 2465 would also remove the requirement that state employees use their accrued comp time instead of sick leave if they have sufficient hours of leave available. It also prohibits agencies from adjusting state employee work weeks in order to avoid the accrual of overtime. The measure also permits state agencies to require employees to get preapproval for overtime but must always pay the employees for overtime worked, whether or not the individual received approval.

Rep. Jason Dunnington (D-Oklahoma City) is the House author of the measure, which will now go to the Governor’s desk for final consideration.