Overtime costs soar as state workers battle pandemic

Health department, JFS among those hardest hit in state.

COLUMBUS — When more than 1 million Ohioans filed for jobless benefits during the pandemic, the state unemployment compensation system quickly needed reinforcements to answer calls and bolster the online application system.

With that work, overtime for the Ohio Department of Job and Family Services ballooned — big time.

In the three pay periods before Ohio’s stay-home order was issued in mid-March, JFS paid out $39,395 in overtime. In the last three pay periods from March through April, JFS paid out $1.8 million in overtime.

The state boosted unemployment compensation call center workers from 42 to more than 1,100.

JFS isn’t the only state agency forking over big money to handle extra duties related to the coronavirus crisis.

Ohio Departm e nt of Health’s overtime expenses totaled $332,050 in four pay periods covering January and February. For the four pay periods covering March and April, the overtime expenses totaled $1.87 million.

ODH has been staffing a coronavirus hotline, 833427-5634, from 9 a.m. to 8 p.m. seven days a week and its testing lab has been oper- ating around the clock.

The prison system’s aver- age pay period overtime costs went down. Ohio Department of Rehabilitation and

Correction, the largest state department with 12,000 employees, spent $10.87 million on overtime for the four pay periods covering January and February. Although DRC battled outbreaks of coronavirus cases, overtime costs dropped to $8.3 million for the four pay periods covering March and April.

“Some factors to consider include the fact that we are not operating in-person visiting, transportation is limited to only mission critical, the Ohio State Highway Patrol is providing perimeter security at some locations, and the Ohio National Guard is augmenting some security functions due to number of staff who are out sick,” said DRC spokeswoman JoEllen Smith.

The state’s interactive budget website posts salaries, overtime and other pay data.