SB 1308 - This act requires that state employees be paid at a rate of one and one half times their standard hourly rate for all time worked in excess of 40 hours per week. Overtime will be paid unless the employee chooses to use accrued overtime hours as compensatory leave time, if leave time is available and the employee's supervisor agrees. Any employee who works a state holiday will have the option of receiving either equal compensatory time off or payment at the straight hourly rate. This applies only to employees who are otherwise eligible for compensatory time.

Any state employee requesting cash payment for at least 20 hours of accrued overtime is to be compensated within 30 calendar days of the request.

Beginning on January 1, 2006, and annually thereafter, each department must pay all state employees who are paid at an hourly rate in full for any overtime hours accrued during the previous calendar year not yet paid or used in the form of compensatory leave time. State employees may retain up to 80 hours of compensatory leave time.

By November of each year, every department must notify the Commissioner of Administration, the House Budget Chairman, and the Senate Appropriations Chairman of the amount of overtime paid in the previous year and an estimate of the overtime to be paid in the current fiscal year. The fiscal year estimate is to be a separate line item appropriation for each department in its appropriation bill.

Provisions of this act are contained in CCS/SCS/HB 1548 (TAT).
RICHARD MOORE