As a retired county employee of 38-plus years, the article on county overtime (“Westmoreland County overtime costs top $7.2 million in 2025,” March 6, TribLive) and related editorial (“Punching the overtime clock adds up,” (March 10, TribLive) certainly caught my attention. Both were good reads, but what they did not address is the added cost of a new hire. That being the benefit package which includes health/life insurance, workmen’s compensation, training, vacation and paid holidays.
In view of this, I am thinking that assigning overtime is good stewardship of county resources, especially when it is awarded to willing workers and seniority. The breakpoint in all this is when overtime becomes an imposition to the employee and impacts on work performance due to fatigue or an unwilling worker. When this occurs, then it becomes cost-effective to invest in a new hire.
Giles H. Guisbert
North Huntingdon