In a follow-up to a story posted earlier about potential overtime abuses, Lincoln Parish News Online spoke today with State Inspector General Steven B. Street, Jr., who said the issue “is still on our radar.” It had been reported the Inspector General had planned to look into the issue.
Last week, the DHH released their own internal audit that revealed during calendar year 2008 eight of the personnel at the Northeast Supports and Services Center, (formerly know as the Ruston State School) logged overtime ranging from 1,600 to 3,150 hours. The story was broken by WAFB-TV Baton Rouge reporter Caroline Moses.
Phone calls to Paul E. Pendas, Director of the Financial Audit Division of the Louisiana Legislative Auditor – to see if any action was planned by their group – were not returned by posting time.
Of historical note, the center is located on the site of Camp Ruston, one of the largest WWII POW camps in the United States. In October of 1943, the camp held as many as 4,315 prisoners.
UPDATE – 5 pm, 6/16/09
Beth Davis, Assistant Director for the Financial Auditing Division of the Louisiana Legislative Auditor returned our call moments ago. She said that “at this time,” no action was scheduled beyond a procedural review scheduled for early 2010.
06/18/2009 at 7:25 am |
Based on 3150 hours overtime a year, this comes to over 60 hours a week OT based on 52 weeks plus 40 hours RT, if they worked 7 days a week, no days off for 364 days, this would be over 14 hours a day, not likely, something else is smelly in the Grambling Area.
06/18/2009 at 7:33 am |
The only place you will read or hear about this story is on this blog or at WAFB-TV, Baton Rouge. No North Louisiana TV stations or newspapers have seen fit to take a look at it.
06/27/2009 at 6:25 am |
[...] Earlier, Lincoln Parish News Online had reported that Street was focusing on overtime abuses by state employees. [...]
04/27/2010 at 7:03 pm |
[...] Lincoln Parish News Online had reported on the story last year here and here. [...]