San Francisco is paying more for overtime this year than in previous years, and will likely exceed its own budget for overtime, unless costs can be contained soon.

The city’s budget took into account more than $100 million worth of overtime for this fiscal year, but so far 90% of that has been spent.

There are a variety of factors that could account for the increase, including fewer firefighters, increases in construction projects, and even the San Francisco Giants’ success in last year’s post season.

However, the bill remains high for the city’s taxpayers, and the Board of Supervisors was hoping to reduce the need for overtime, not increase its use.

From the San Francisco Chronicle:

San Francisco’s overtime bill is on pace to run nearly $40 million over budget for this fiscal year, which is $12 million more than was spent last year.

The troubling trend caught the attention of city supervisors Thursday at a City Hall hearing on the spiraling overtime costs for city workers. The hearing ended with a call for more analysis of San Francisco’s increasing reliance on overtime and whether other cities and counties have found good ways to control it.

Five city departments – transportation, fire, health, police and sheriff – account for almost 9 of every 10 overtime dollars spent. The city had budgeted just over $102 million for overtime this year. The overall city budget is $6.6 billion.

Read the full article here.