Daley-era cost-cutting measures actually cost the city more money, according to a new study from the Chicago Inspector General.
The new IGO report examined the effects of furlough days on the use of overtime and found the amount of comp time given to workers increased in lieu of direct pay for overtime.
Since the city began substituting unpaid days off for direct pay to save money, there has been a 144 percent increase, or 201,000 hours, in comp time given to workers, according to the report. Those hours could represent about $7.51 million.
“Furloughs have been a valuable tool for the City,” said Inspector General Joseph Ferguson. “They have provided the City with savings when we desperately needed them. However, programs with considerable impact on out-year budgets need to be accounted for properly and publicly."
The IGO posted a recommendation with its study, calling for out-year consequences of city policies to be disclosed to the public.
