Increase Attributed to Correction Officers Strike
By Hank Russell
Despite an expansion in the state’s workforce, overtime costs increased by $1.6 billion in 2025, according to a recent report by the New York State Comptroller’s office. That is an increase of 22.7% over the previous year and part of the state’s $22.4 billion payroll. In addition, the number of overtime hours went up 5.9%, or 1.4 million hours.
Overtime hours and earnings increased, despite a third consecutive year of an increase in the state’s workforce. Last year, 4,139 positions were added — a 2.7% increase — for an average annual total of 155,448 employees, compared to 151,309 in 2024. (This does not include SUNY or CUNY employees.) Despite the increase, headcount levels remain markedly below those 15 years ago when the state workforce size was over 172,000.
The agency that had the highest percentage of overtime earnings at 43.6% was the Department of Corrections and Community Supervision, despite the fact that Corrections made up only 7.9% of the state’s workforce. The comptroller’s report also found that overtime hours and earnings have continued to surge at the agency, growing by 1.3 million hours and $264 million in 2025, the most of any agency.
The Department of Corrections also experienced a 29.8% decrease in workforce since 2020, when there were 8,544 more employees than in 2025. Between 2024 and 2025, the Corrections workforce decreased by over 2,700, while overtime hours per employee grew 32.7% to reach an average of 432 hours — nearly triple what it was in 2020. These figures were influenced by the strike by some Corrections employees that took place between February 17, 2025 and March 10, 2025.
As previously reported in Long Island Life & Politics, correction officers walked off the job in February of last year, citing unsafe work conditions, mandatory overtime, drugs and other contraband being sneaked into inmates’ incoming mail and prison violence resulting from the Humane Alternatives to Long-Term Solitary Confinement (HALT) Act.
LILP also reported that Governor Kathy Hochul deployed the National Guard at these state prisons to fill the vacancies, suspended parts of the HALT Act and allowed striking officers to return without punishment. Anyone who did not return to work immediately will lose their state-funded health benefits. Also, since the union did not authorize this strike, they will not cover the strikers’ legal fees. Hochul also signed an executive order that bars those who took part in the strike from seeking a civil service job.
Corrections had the highest total overtime pay and the most overtime hours at $708.9 million and 8,702,912, respectively, followed by the Office of People With Developmental Disabilities (OPWDD) with $229.7 million, the Office of Mental Health ($201.0 million), State Police ($113.3 million) and SUNY ($110.3 million). OPWDD had the second-most OT hours at 5,179,107, followed by Mental Health (3,824,289 hrs.), SUNY (2,131,743 hrs.) and the Department of Transportation (1,682,396 hrs.)
According to the report, approximately 20% of all state employees worked overtime last year. Those agencies that exceeded the statewide percentage were Corrections, OPWDD, State Police, the Department of Veterans’ Homes, Transportation, Mental Health and the Department of Children & Family Services.
The report also found that the pay per OT hour was $62.79. Those agencies whose employees earned more than that were State Police ($91.65/hr.), Corrections ($81.46), and the Department of Environmental Conservation ($68/hr.). Further, employees working overtime averaged 19.9 hours and $1,247 in earnings per pay period. Corrections had the highest amount of OT hours with 27.4 hours, followed by Mental Health (24.9 hrs.), Children & Family (24.6 hrs.), and OPWDD (21.1 hrs.). Those that exceeded the state baseline in OT earnings were Corrections ($2,234), State Police ($1,501) and Mental Health ($1,307).
Despite data showing increases in OT hours, eight agencies performed less overtime in 2025 than in 2024, with the largest reduction at OPWDD — down more than 215,000 hours). There were also drops for the Division of the State Police, which performed 31,500 fewer hours, the Department of Environmental Conservation (-20,600 hrs.) and the Department of Labor (-19,100 hrs.).
“The use of overtime by state agencies continued to climb with overtime as a share of payroll at its second-highest rate since at least 2007,” Comptroller Thomas DiNapoli said. “Agencies need to ensure usage is justified while continuing to safely and effectively provide the services New Yorkers expect and deserve.”