Monroe County moves to curb overtime costs after policy review

County finance staff triggered the review after an advisory letter from the Monroe County Clerk of Court’s finance director, and the county said the findings point to a structural problem in its overtime rules. Under the current policy, hourly employees can receive overtime pay even when they do not exceed 40 hours of actual work in a week, because paid time off can fall in the same pay period. The county said that difference from Fair Labor Standards Act practice added more than $360,000 in overtime costs in calendar year 2025 alone.

Officials said the 2021 policy changes were meant to give departments more flexibility when employees are called in for weekend, evening and emergency work that cannot be handled during normal hours. But the review suggests the policy has also created room for recurring overtime costs that are not tied to extra hours worked. County leaders said they are now reviewing the findings with departments and the Monroe County Board of County Commissioners, with possible policy amendments, operational changes and added oversight on the table.

The sharpest scrutiny fell on Key West International Airport, where the county said about 70 percent of exempt overtime in 2025 was tied to two airport management positions. That pattern raised concerns that overtime was being used as part of routine coverage during the airport’s multi-year expansion and construction, rather than reserved for rare emergencies or unusual circumstances. The county also said the review identified recurring and preplanned overtime patterns, along with concerns about timekeeping practices and oversight.

County Administrator Christine Hurley said the county was committed to a deeper review and would maintain transparency as officials work through the findings. Monroe County Human Resources, which maintains the county pay plan and helps ensure compliance with applicable labor laws, will play a central role in that process.