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Paterson public works supervisors put in 60 consecutive hours of overtime each during snowstorm | Paterson Times

Paterson public works supervisors put in 60 consecutive hours of overtime each during snowstorm

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A pair of public works supervisors put in 60 consecutive hours of overtime each during the snowstorm that dropped two feet of snow earlier in the month, according to municipal government records.

Manny Ojeda and Steve Howe each put in 63 straight hours of overtime from February 1-3. Ojeda and Howe each worked 24 hours of overtime on Feb. 1. Another 24 hours each on Feb 2. And another 15 hours each on Feb. 3, records show.

On Feb. 3, both men put in 15.50 hours of overtime each on top of their regular eight-hour shift. On Feb. 4, Howe put in 7.50 hours of overtime on top of his regular shift; Ojeda put in 15.50 hours of overtime for the same date on top of his regular shift.

Ojeda collected 86 hours of overtime from Jan. 31 through Feb. 4; Howe collected 78 hours of overtime from Jan. 31 through Feb. 4.

How much did they earn for each overtime hour? That information was not available.

“Is it humanly possible for someone to work 70 hours straight without taking breaks and sleep?” asked council president Flavio Rivera on Tuesday night.

Public works director William “Billy” Rodriguez said the employees received 30-45 minutes break here and there. He said they took half-hour sleep breaks.

“We had a historical storm. It was all hands on deck. Every driver that we had was fighting the storm and every truck we had,” said Rodriguez.

“There’s nothing under federal and state law – the wage and hour laws – that limit the hours an employee can work,” said Joshua Weiner of the Coughlin Duffy law firm. He said there may be New Jersey Department of Transportation (DOT) restrictions on heavy equipment operators. “It’s also just not safe, I would say, having these guys work that long without any sleep. But there’s nothing in the wage and hour laws that prevent an employer from doing that.”

Weiner, who specializes in employment law, said just because it’s allowed doesn’t mean it’s wise to do it.

“We can’t send an employee home with the intention of bringing them back,” said Rodriguez.

“Why not?” asked Rivera.

Rodriguez said the labor contract does not allow him.

“It was actually snowing during those hours. These supervisors, deputy directors were working in their capacity overseeing the drivers who were out there and so on,” said business administrator Kathleen Long.

Other council members were muted in their criticism of the snowstorm overtime during the meeting.

“I think there is a level of oversight that is necessary,” said councilman Michael Jackson. “We’re asking these guys to work, but then we want to complain when it comes time to pay them.”

Records show a third employee, Jessica Schutte, put in 55 hours of overtime from Feb 1 through 6.

Councilman Alex Mendez, chairman of the public works committee, on Wednesday, said mayor Andre Sayegh and his administration are not doing enough to control overtime.

“I have a lot of concern because this administration is not following what’s going on with the overtime,” said Mendez. “Overtime with this administration is out of control.”

Mendez said Sayegh criticized overtime spending when he was on the council, but has done little curb it as mayor.

Sayegh did not respond to a call for comment.

Council members approved $133,000 in overtime for public works employees for the pay period that included the snowstorm.

Rivera was the sole vote against.

“It could be a liability issue,” said Rivera.

The city’s response to the snowstorm was heavily criticized by residents. Some roadways were not adequately cleared three days after the storm.

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  • Two eyes on Paterson

    Those so called supervisors aren’t supervisors THEY ARE BOTH DEPUTY DIRECTORS AND MAKING TOP DOLLAR TO SIT IN A OFFICE AND DO NOTHING BUT RACK UP TAX PAYERS MONEY WICH IN FACT NEITHER ONE OF THOSE MEN LIVE IN PATERSON,RIGHT UNDER THE MAYORS NOSE THEY ARE ROBBING THE TAX PAYERS DOLLARS AND THE RING LEADER IS THE DIRECTOR THAT VOUCHES FOR THEIR HOURS AND RESPONSIBILITIES…WHAT A FKN JOKE THAT IS TAKEN PLACE…MAY 2022 COULDNT GET HERE ANY FASTER TO SWEAR IN A NEW MAYOR AND FINALLY CLEAN HOUSE WITH ALL THE CORRUPTION THAT TAKES PLACE IN THE DPW DEPT,YES THOSE POSITIONS ARE APPOINTED BY THE MAYOR AND NOT A DAMN THING COULD CIVIL SERVICE DO TO PROTECT THEM….MENDEZ BIDE YOUR TIME AND REPRESENT PATERSON COME MAY 2022

  • Miss jamaica

    I truly would like to know where they are working. It’s snowed here on Monday there were cars struck on the hills here. No salt.
    The Paterson police came and closed the road and then the city trucks came out and salt.

    These people must be cleaning the streets in Oakland I always wonder why Paterson DPW is in Oakland NJ.

    • RadFAAD

      Whats this about Paterson DPW operating in Oakland?

  • OBED SANTOS

    They parked their trucks at home and chilled out lol what a corrupt shithole Paterson is. Isn't Alex Mendez headed to prison for electoral fraud?

  • No Ethics

    Hello….Andre….

    You may want to start looking at what your B.S. DPW Department is doing under your "watch."

  • WakeUpPaterson

    How do I get a job that pays six figures to do nothing and on top of that pays overtime to do more nothing. Oh wait its too late I didn't join the Cheer on Sayegh While He Ruins This Town Team. I decided to get a real job and not cheat my way through life. Damn I'm stupid, why did I chose the hard way?

  • disqus_qeKVfrd7O3

    Instead of talking down the administration why don’t you guys meet with them before the winter starts and have a plan how to attack snow??? No one cares about the personal issues between the politicians, the residents want to see better results. They personally don’t care if any of the council members like the mayor. We really don’t care about that. Support DPW and make them produce quality work. DPW has a bad reputation in this city forever. If I was the director I would work extremely hard to change that mind set. No mayor can change the department unless you put a few millions into innovation, personnel, equipment and most important overall control of the department and holding people accountable to get the job done.

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