"The state's nearly 255,000 employees earned $1.6 billion while working nearly 26 million hours of overtime last year, which was $300 million more than 2024."
"DOCCS employees logged 8.7 million hours of overtime in 2025, accounting for $709 million - or 44% - of the state's total overtime spending."
"The wildcat strike - which wasn't officially sanctioned by the officers' union - resulted in more than 2,000 officers being fired, further exacerbating the agency's ongoing struggle with attracting and retaining staff."
"Nicole March, a spokesperson for the corrections department, said the agency has aggressively expanded its recruiting efforts with hiring and retention bonuses, among other incentives."
In 2025, New York state agencies incurred over $1.6 billion in overtime pay, a 23% increase from 2024. The Department of Corrections and Community Supervision accounted for a significant portion of this spending, with 8.7 million hours logged, totaling $709 million. Staffing shortages, exacerbated by a wildcat strike that led to over 2,000 officer firings, have intensified the agency's challenges. Efforts to improve recruitment and retention are underway, with hopes to reduce overtime reliance as staffing stabilizes.
Read at Gothamist
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