Fulton County jail staff will no longer receive double overtime, county commissioners decided Wednesday.
Commissioners rejected a double-overtime request from Sheriff Patrick Labat, meaning jail deputies will go back to receiving time-and-a-half for overtime work.
The sheriff’s office has cited high overtime pay as necessary because of a shortage of jail deputies and persistent trouble hiring and retaining employees. But authorization for double pay has run out.
“I think time-and-a-half is where we should be on this,” Commissioner Bob Ellis said, moving to deny the request.
At the March 6 meeting, he said the sheriff’s office spent $6.5 million on double overtime last year, with more than half of that going to employees other than jail staff.
Kenneth Hermon, the county’s human resources director, said at the time that the renewal resolution would limit double-overtime spending to those at the jail and its satellite functions, and that only detention officers or sworn deputies would be eligible.
Also at the March 6 meeting, Commissioner Khadijah Abdur-Rahman opposed approving the item until she heard directly from Labat as to whether he intended to somehow refund money misspent from the jail’s former Inmate Welfare Fund. The county took control of the fund from the sheriff’s office last November after discovering that large sums had been spent on gift cards, public events and other items that did not benefit inmates.
Money in the fund came from jail commissary sales and inmate phone charges.
On Wednesday, Abdur-Rahman said she never heard an answer from Labat. That sparked an argument between her and Commissioner Marvin Arrington Jr.
Arrington accused Abdur-Rahman of opposing double overtime “because she’s supporting another candidate.” Labat is up for reelection, facing three challengers in the May 21 Democratic primary.
Commissioner Natalie Hall said Labat told her that he tried calling Abdur-Rahman several times but got no answer.
Abdur-Rahman replied that she wanted Labat to come to a commission meeting and answer her questions in public.
“Ali Carter for your seat!” Arrington called out to Abdur-Rahman, who laughed.
Abdur-Rahman’s District 6 commission seat is also up for a vote this year. Carter, a former aide to Andre Dickens when the Atlanta mayor was a city councilman, is opposing Abdur-Rahman’s reelection bid in the May 21 primary.
Ellis’ motion to deny approval passed 4-2, opposed by Arrington and Hall. Commissioner Dana Barrett was absent.
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