Thirty-five state prison officers locked up $100,000 or more in overtime in 2022 — a 66.6% jump year-over-year with the DOC saying they are trying to hire more guards.
Three top earners last year pushed their pay past $300,000 with the bonus hours and were quickly followed by 26 mostly fellow prison officers who took home $200,000 and up in gross pay thanks to OT, payroll records show.
It’s the latest example of overtime being spent across the commonwealth at eye-popping rates, as the Herald first reported last week.
DOC spokesman Jason Dobson said the mission is “balancing its security needs and fiscal responsibilities.” He did not address, however, if the extensive hours clocked put guards or inmates at risk.
“There are circumstances when overtime is required to ensure the safety of those living and working in secure facilities. Overtime needs fluctuate for a variety of reasons including but not limited to attrition, illness, inmate hospital trips and retirement,” he added.
Dobson, deputy director of communications, did say the DOC is looking for recruits.
“The Department remains focused on recruiting, training, and activating classes of new, diverse candidates. In the last 4 months, we have engaged prospective candidates at more than 50 job fairs, civil service informational sessions and career days,” he added.
It’s clear from the data that some guards are going for all the OT they can grab.
A Herald payroll analysis — part of the “Your Tax Dollars at Work” report — found that prison guards with modest base pay from $82,000 and up still earned $200,000 or more from extra hours.
It was once the State Police who dominated the annual list of overtime earners, but a crackdown on abuse has eased those rolls. Now the OT also includes the guards, a few nurses and MBTA workers.
One Department of Correction guard told the Herald a week ago a few colleagues seem to be the ones who jump on all the OT.
“A couple of us do a lot of hours,” said DOC officer Edward Johansen, who earned $215,168 in overtime finishing with $313,896 in total pay, Comptroller records show.
“I have 10-year-old twins and after 10 years your body gets used to” the lack of sleep, he added. “I eat right. I do my job,” he said when pressed if he can work all those hours and not see any slip in his performance.
He added he’ll probably ease up in the coming year. Others, however, did not return messages left by the Herald seeking answers to the same questions.
Go to bostonherald.com to view every DOC salary and 160,000-plus more state employee pay. Send tips to joed@bostonherald.com.
