Schuylkill’s crusade to contain costs has sparked the county’s first policy aimed at reducing overtime pay.

County employees were paid about $675,000 in overtime pay so far this year.Of that amount, $587,560.82 went to four entities: Prison employees were paid $373,271.48; the Children & Youth Services Agency, $107,958.75; the 911 center, $77,010.80; and Adult Probation, $29,319.79, according to county Finance Director Paul E. Buber.Operations that work around the clock generate the most overtime, said Director of Human Resources Martina Chwastiak.Although an exact figure wasn’t readily available Wednesday, total overtime last year was in excess of $500,000, Chwastiak said.The policy is an “excellent tool to keep the overtime costs down,” she said.The overtime policy, which commissioners adopted on Wednesday, affects employees not covered by union contracts or court-appointed policies.It requires employees to get their department head or elected official’s approval before putting in the extra hours. The employee’s work week schedule may be adjusted to avoid overtime. For example, an employee would come in two hours later to make up for working two extra hours.Approved paid absences, including sick days, bereavement leave, vacation, holidays, military leave, jury duty, and Family and Medical Leave Act days are paid regular wages, but are not counted as time worked when calculating overtime.If the employee is given compensatory time for extra hours worked, it is capped at 40 hours, and must be taken in the same year it is earned, Chwastiak said.