City Council Staff Report Page 1 of 15 September 22, 2026 Staff Report
Agenda Item No. 5.1
DATE: September 22, 2026
TO: Honorable Mayor and Members of the City Council
FROM: Joan Malloy, City Manager
SUBJECT: Receive and File the Fiscal Year 2025-26 Overtime Usage Report
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
The City Council received a Quarterly Financial Report at the July 28, 2026 City Council meeting. As part of the City Council discussion, the Council requested more information on the use of overtime. The purpose of this report is in response to the request and to provide a review of the City’s overtime costs for FY 2025-2026 and overtime trends for the City Council’s consideration. There is no action requested.
STRATEGIC PLAN ALIGNMENT
Goal A: Financial Stability and Sustainability.
BACKGROUND
Table 1 on the following page shows the historical overtime costs by department. It shows that total overtime expenses for all funds was $2,881,500 for FY26, which is a 14.8% increase from FY25. The overtime expenses for FY25 was $2,493,190, which is a 16.3% increase from FY24. The table presents by department the FY23 actuals, FY24 actuals, FY25 unaudited actuals, FY26 adopted and unaudited actuals, and FY27 adopted budget.
Agenda Item No. 5.1
City Council Staff Report Page 2 of 15 September 22, 2026 7 1 1
Table 1. Overtime Expenses by Department
By Department
FY23
Actual
FY24
Actual
FY25
Unaudited
FY26
Adopted
FY26
Unaudited
FY27
Adopted
11-City Council 4,874 6,238 4,709 3,872 7,800 3,872
12-City Manager’s Ofc. 5,919 9,321 14,872 4,000 13,350 4,000 15-Finance 47,926 80,358 118,681 47,450 95,810 47,450
16-Human Resources 0 0 1,900 0 6,100 0
17-Info Tech 2,696 15,388 11,401 11,000 10,780 11,000
21-Police 1,606,551 1,750,506 2,035,893 1,556,185 2,269,970 1,535,203 30-Public Works 193,416 228,864 253,417 132,200 308,380 137,200 40-Econ & Comm Dev 8,673 7,891 2,393 10,500 27,180 10,500 50-Comm & Rec Svcs. 32,456 45,640 49,924 24,209 121,390 33,105 ALL DEPARTMENTS $1,902,510 $2,144,206 $2,493,190 $1,789,416 $2,861,500 $1,782,330
DISCUSSION
Below are some of the common causes of overtime.
1. Minimum staffing standards. Union City builds overtime directly into staffing models for police to ensure 24/7 coverage, rapid emergency response, and safety for everyone involved. Emergencies, natural disasters/weather events, and major incidents routinely require extended shifts. Many parks and recreation programs, such as Union City’s Preschool at Holly Center, require a minimum staff-to-child ratio. Agreement with bargaining units may include staffing rules that mandate certain positions be filled regardless of absences.
2. Vacancies and staffing shortages. Staffing turnover, the lengthy process and training of new staff can result in existing staff having to cover required shifts and work tasks.
3. After hours emergencies and infrastructure needs. The Public Works Department can incur overtime responding to park and facility breaks, storm impacts, traffic signal outages, and other urgent infrastructure issues that occur outside normal hours.
4. Events occur outside normal business hours. Special events and city activities include recreational programs held on evenings and weekends, such as fun runs, egg hunts, and movie nights. They also include festivals or festival support, council meetings, and community meetings—such as the Climate Action Plan workshops, Parks and Recreation Master Plan discussions, and the BART Mural Project meetings—as well as community events like the District Dialogue sessions. These events require staffing beyond regular hours, including police for crowd control, public works for setup and cleanup, and recreation staff for event support. In addition, IT upgrades and facility repairs can only be completed after public hours, when employees and the public are not present.
5. Time sensitive or legally required work. Some tasks must be completed by statutory deadlines (budget development, financial reporting, elections, and payroll). Staff may need overtime to meet these requirements.
Agenda Item No. 5.1
City Council Staff Report Page 3 of 15 September 22, 2026 7 1 1
Under certain circumstances, overtime can be more cost-effective than hiring additional staff when used to handle peak workload periods, unpredictable emergencies, or temporary vacancies. Under all circumstances, cities have to budget for overtime for unanticipated occurrences.
In certain situations, expenses for overtime activities, such as emergency response and special events are recovered through fees or reimbursement from other agencies or entities.
Summary of Overtime Comments
Staff were able to collect overtime comments for Fiscal Year 2025-2026. Overtime comments from prior fiscal years are not readily available. Table 2 lists the top 10 note subcategories within each Police Overtime Code, the number of overtime entries into the timecard system, total hours for each note subcategory, and percent of code hours for each note subcategory.
Table 2. Top 10 Note Subcategories Within Each Police Overtime Code SERV MIN - Service Minimums
Rank Note Subcategory
# of OT
Entries
Total OT
Hours
% of Code
Hours
1 General Coverage (Reason Not Stated) 389 2,819.39 45.9% 2 Covering Vacation / Time Off 64 514.23 8.4%
3 Vacant Slot / Open Position 67 508.28 8.3%
4 Minimums - No Detail Given 79 471.62 7.7%
5 Covering Training / CPT / Quals 69 454.10 7.4%
6 Covering Sick Call 62 346.46 5.6%
7 Covering FMLA / Leave of Absence 31 255.69 4.2%
8 Held Over to Cover Shift 37 225.13 3.7%
9 Covering Pro-Phoenix Schedule Adjustment 22 174.16 2.8% 10 Extra Shift OT (Dayshift/Nightshift/Swing) 11 92.01 1.5% All Other Subcategories (6 subcategories) 51 277.61 4.5% Code Total 882 6,138.68
SHIFT ACT - Shift Activity
Rank Note Subcategory
# of OT
Entries
Total OT
Hours
% of Code
Hours
1 In-Custody Arrests, Booking & Transports 227 600.79 16.2% 2 Other / Not Specified 149 459.86 12.4%
3 Surveillance & Tracker Operations 137 418.13 11.3%
4 Patrol Support & Calls for Service 111 364.89 9.8%
5 Training, Quals & CPT 81 361.43 9.7%
6 Report Writing & Case Completion 139 258.93 7.0%
7 Records, Purging & Property Room Projects 41 203.43 5.5% 8 Search Warrants & Warrant Service 50 157.51 4.2%
9 Held Over - Other Shift Activity 77 153.59 4.1%
10 Investigation Follow-Up & Interviews 48 119.03 3.2%
All Other Subcategories (13 subcategories) 247 613.94 16.5% Code Total 1,307 3,711.53
Agenda Item No. 5.1
City Council Staff Report Page 4 of 15 September 22, 2026 7 1 1
SPC - Special Assignment
Rank Note Subcategory
# of OT
Entries
Total OT
Hours
% of Code
Hours
1 Hiring, Interviews, Oral Boards & Testing 80 472.48 13.1% 2 Fireworks & 4th of July Details 59 382.69 10.6%
3 Other / Not Specified 82 360.60 10.0%
4 Community Events, Festivals & Parades 51 276.93 7.6%
5 SWAT & CNT Operations 54 210.49 5.8%
6 Leadership, Staff & Department Meetings 81 195.10 5.4% 7 Homeless Encampment Cleanup Details 32 189.42 5.2%
8 Pro-Phoenix RMS Project 29 166.50 4.6%
9 Special Enforcement Operations 28 144.49 4.0%
10 Surveillance, Warrants & Case Support 42 143.10 4.0% All Other Subcategories (17 subcategories) 250 1,078.23 29.8% Code Total 788 3,620.03
TRN - Training
Rank Note Subcategory
# of OT
Entries
Total OT
Hours
% of Code
Hours
1 SWAT & Sniper Training 217 1,179.17 33.1%
2 Pro-Phoenix RMS Training 105 899.40 25.3%
3 Firearms, Range, Glock & Red Dot Transition 67 577.08 16.2% 4 CPT (Continued Professional Training) 38 198.17 5.6%
5 FTO, New Hire & Academy Training 23 121.84 3.4%
6 Defensive Tactics & Active Shooter Training 25 120.17 3.4% 7 K9 Training 21 114.58 3.2%
8 CSI & Forensics Training (Drager, Perkins, Crime Lab) 17 71.34 2.0% 9 Instructor & Presenter Duties 9 52.09 1.5%
10 Out-of-Area Training & Travel Time 5 40.00 1.1%
All Other Subcategories (12 subcategories) 59 187.41 5.3% Code Total 586 3,561.25
SAFE MIN - Safety Minimums
Rank Note Subcategory
# of OT
Entries
Total OT
Hours
% of Code
Hours
1 General Coverage (Officer Named, Reason Not Stated) 146 822.61 39.6% 2 Covering Training / CPT / Quals 27 204.16 9.8%
3 Sergeant Minimums 21 169.56 8.2%
4 Covering Sick Call 31 158.25 7.6%
5 Covering Vacation / Time Off 19 140.15 6.8%
6 Held Over to Cover Shift 21 121.60 5.9%
7 Minimums - No Detail Given 18 112.00 5.4%
8 Covering FMLA / Leave of Absence 13 99.83 4.8%
9 Covering Pro-Phoenix Schedule Adjustment 11 90.32 4.4% 10 Ordered In / Called In to Cover 13 86.32 4.2%
All Other Subcategories (5 subcategories) 17 70.68 3.4% Agenda Item No. 5.1
City Council Staff Report Page 5 of 15 September 22, 2026 7 1 1
Code Total 337 2,075.48
COPPS - COPPS Event
Rank Note Subcategory
# of OT
Entries
Total OT
Hours
% of Code
Hours
1 National Night Out Prep & Follow-Up 37 205.83 20.7%
2 Community Festivals & Cultural Events 28 179.24 18.0% 3 Neighborhood Watch Meetings 29 97.08 9.7%
4 Car Shows & Parades 10 71.08 7.1%
5 Holiday Events (Shop with a Cop, Toy Drive, Ornament
Party) 11 61.50 6.2%
6 Shred Events & Community Clean-Ups 8 54.33 5.5%
7 Youth & School Programs 13 45.67 4.6%
8 Other COPPS Activity 7 45.50 4.6%
9 Night Markets, Summer Sandlot & The Happening 9 43.17 4.3% 10 Bazaars, Church & Temple Community Events 8 36.50 3.7% All Other Subcategories (9 subcategories) 47 156.00 15.7% Code Total 207 995.90
RPT - Report Writing
Rank Note Subcategory
# of OT
Entries
Total OT
Hours
% of Code
Hours
1 Report Writing - Held Over / Stayed Late 135 313.76 36.7% 2 DORs & FTO Documentation 38 133.49 15.6%
3 In-Custody & Arrest Reports 42 113.05 13.2%
4 Supplemental Reports, Corrections & Review 49 94.94 11.1% 5 Case Numbers Only / No Detail 45 77.25 9.0%
6 PC Declarations & Face Sheets 28 56.42 6.6%
7 Vehicle Theft & Recovery Reports (10851) 22 35.60 4.2% 8 Use of Force Reports 8 15.67 1.8%
9 Missing Persons Reports 6 8.83 1.0%
10 Animal-Related Reports 5 5.92 0.7%
All Other Subcategories (1 subcategories) 2 1.00 0.1%
Code Total 380 855.93
OTS GRANT - Traffic
Rank Note Subcategory
# of OT
Entries
Total OT
Hours
% of Code
Hours
1 DUI / DL Checkpoints 54 406.09 48.7%
2 DUI Saturation & Enforcement Patrols 17 138.74 16.6%
3 General OTS Traffic Enforcement 12 81.00 9.7%
4 Distracted Driving & Cellphone Enforcement 10 66.00 7.9% 5 Speed & Primary Collision Factor Enforcement 8 65.75 7.9% 6 Street Racing & Sideshow Enforcement 5 40.00 4.8%
7 Pedestrian & Bicycle Safety Operations 4 18.00 2.2%
8 Seatbelt / Click It or Ticket 2 18.00 2.2%
Code Total 112 833.58
Agenda Item No. 5.1
City Council Staff Report Page 6 of 15 September 22, 2026 7 1 1
FTO - Field Training
Rank Note Subcategory
# of OT
Entries
Total OT
Hours
% of Code
Hours
1 Recruit Report Completion (Held Over) 102 307.45 49.1% 2 Remedial & Pre-Academy Training 18 135.00 21.6%
3 Other FTO Duties 17 52.42 8.4%
4 DORs, Evaluations & End-of-Phase Documentation 24 51.27 8.2% 5 Academy & Midterm Inspections 4 22.00 3.5%
6 Make-Up Days & Extension Discussions 3 18.50 3.0%
7 New Hire Orientation 3 14.00 2.2%
8 FTO Meetings, Scheduling & Binders 5 13.33 2.1%
9 Court with Recruit 2 7.34 1.2%
10 LEFTA, Veritones & System Entries 3 4.25 0.7%
Code Total 181 625.56
Union Landing OT
Rank Note Subcategory
# of OT
Entries
Total OT
Hours
% of Code
Hours
1 Union Landing - General Coverage (Officer Named, Reason Not Stated) 30 242.97 45.0%
2 Union Landing - Covering Vacation / Time Off 8 85.32 15.8% 3 Union Landing - Covering Training / CPT / Quals 7 72.82 13.5% 4 Union Landing - Covering Sick Call 8 56.07 10.4%
5 Union Landing - Held Over to Cover Shift 5 39.50 7.3% 6 Union Landing - Covering Pro-Phoenix Schedule Adjustment 2 16.33 3.0% 7 Union Landing - Minimums - No Detail Given 2 15.00 2.8% 8 Union Landing - Covering FMLA / Leave of Absence 1 12.33 2.3% Code Total 63 540.34
CRT CRIM - Court (Criminal)
Rank Note Subcategory
# of OT
Entries
Total OT
Hours
% of Code
Hours
1 Court Appearance (Docket Listed) 88 326.75 63.9%
2 Court Prep & DA Meetings 13 48.92 9.6%
3 Preliminary Hearings (PX) 10 46.33 9.1%
4 Case Number Only / No Detail 8 38.50 7.5%
5 Homicide Case Court & Prep 8 32.00 6.3%
6 Domestic Violence Court 3 14.50 2.8%
7 GVRO & Restraining Order Hearings 1 4.50 0.9%
Code Total 131 511.50
INV CO - Investigations Call Out
Rank Note Subcategory
# of OT
Entries
Total OT
Hours
% of Code
Hours
1 CSI Vehicle & Scene Processing 23 157.08 33.0%
2 Call-Out - Case Number Only 36 129.33 27.2%
3 Surveillance & Apprehension Call-Outs 18 62.93 13.2%
4 NIBIN Entries & Processing 8 37.25 7.8%
Agenda Item No. 5.1
City Council Staff Report Page 7 of 15 September 22, 2026 7 1 1
5 Suspect Interviews & Search Warrants 8 35.00 7.4%
6 Shooting, Robbery & Assault Call-Outs 6 29.25 6.1%
7 Report Writing & Case Follow-Up 6 25.18 5.3%
Code Total 105 476.02
NNO - National Night Out
Rank Note Subcategory
# of OT
Entries
Total OT
Hours
% of Code
Hours
1 NNO Event - General 23 98.17 43.6%
2 Setup, Tear-Down & Clean-Up 11 61.00 27.1%
3 Booth & Display Staffing (Kid Zone, UAS, ARV, Raffle) 9 38.59 17.1% 4 NNO Prep & Planning 8 27.08 12.0%
5 Supplies & Logistics 1 0.50 0.2%
Code Total 52 225.34
Major Incident / Investigation
Rank Note Subcategory
# of OT
Entries
Total OT
Hours
% of Code
Hours
1 Case Number Only / No Detail 13 70.16 32.1%
2 CSI & Vehicle Processing 6 53.25 24.4%
3 SWAT & CNT Call-Outs 9 28.17 12.9%
4 Surveillance, Apprehension & Arrest Operations 8 23.75 10.9% 5 Homicide & Major Case Investigation 3 15.09 6.9%
6 Held Over / Called In for Major Case 4 15.00 6.9%
7 Search Warrants & Legal Process 2 6.00 2.7%
8 Interviews, In-Custody Handling & Transport 2 5.25 2.4% 9 DA Case Presentation & Charging 1 2.00 0.9%
Code Total 48 218.67
4th of July Enforcement
Rank Note Subcategory
# of OT
Entries
Total OT
Hours
% of Code
Hours
1 Fireworks Enforcement / SEU Detail 22 152.26 70.8%
2 Fireworks Citation Processing 5 28.00 13.0%
3 4th of July Detail - General 3 21.00 9.8%
4 Fire Department Assist 2 10.00 4.7%
5 Patrol Holdover for 4th of July 1 3.67 1.7%
Code Total 33 214.93
CRT TRAFC - Court (Traffic)
Rank Note Subcategory
# of OT
Entries
Total OT
Hours
% of Code
Hours
1 Traffic Court - Docket Listed 26 100.42 47.9%
2 Traffic Court - Citation Listed 15 60.00 28.6%
3 Traffic Court Appearance (General) 8 29.17 13.9%
4 DMV DUCE Hearings 3 12.00 5.7%
5 Other / Not Specified 2 8.00 3.8%
Agenda Item No. 5.1
City Council Staff Report Page 8 of 15 September 22, 2026 7 1 1
Code Total 54 209.59
PTB - Prisoner Transport or Booking
Rank Note Subcategory
# of OT
Entries
Total OT
Hours
% of Code
Hours
1 Prisoner Transport - Case Number Only 32 64.10 36.8%
2 Transport to Santa Rita Jail 22 54.93 31.5%
3 Hospital & Medical Clearance Transports 7 19.09 11.0% 4 Warrant Pick-Up & Booking 2 18.25 10.5%
5 Transport with Report Writing 6 17.91 10.3%
Code Total 69 174.28
ADMIN ASSMNT - Admin Assignment
Rank Note Subcategory
# of OT
Entries
Total OT
Hours
% of Code
Hours
1 Meeting & Training Refreshment Setup / Cleanup 28 75.41 51.8% 2 Other Admin Assignment 8 22.25 15.3%
3 Meetings 10 20.00 13.7%
4 Projects, Research & Presentations (Digital FTO Manual) 8 19.00 13.0% 5 Pro-Phoenix & CPT Training Support 3 6.00 4.1%
6 Facility & Equipment Issues 1 3.00 2.1%
Code Total 58 145.66
PART-TIME EMPLOYEE - Extra Hours Only (Not OT)
Rank Note Subcategory
# of OT
Entries
Total OT
Hours
% of Code
Hours
1 Community Events 7 52.50 38.1%
2 Other Part-Time Hours 21 31.93 23.2%
3 Fleet & Vehicle Errands (Wash, Tow, Enterprise) 24 20.83 15.1% 4 Calls for Service Assistance 12 17.67 12.8%
5 Training, Meetings & Radio/Equipment Updates 5 14.99 10.9% Code Total 69 137.92
CSI On-Call Week ($250 Compensation)
Rank Note Subcategory
# of OT
Entries
Total OT
Hours
% of Code
Hours
1 CSI On-Call Week (Own Rotation) 43 86.00 86.0%
2 Off-Site Vehicle Processing 3 12.00 12.0%
3 Covering Another Officer's On-Call Week 6 2.00 2.0%
Code Total 52 100.00
Homeless Outreach
Rank Note Subcategory
# of OT
Entries
Total OT
Hours
% of Code
Hours
1 Encampment Cleanup with Public Works 10 31.76 45.6%
2 Homeless Detail - General 2 20.59 29.5%
3 Encampment Enforcement & Posting 2 17.33 24.9%
Agenda Item No. 5.1
City Council Staff Report Page 9 of 15 September 22, 2026 7 1 1
Code Total 14 69.68
EARLY CALL - Early Call In
Rank Note Subcategory
# of OT
Entries
Total OT
Hours
% of Code
Hours
1 Called In Early for Critical Incident / Major Case 26 43.01 66.1% 2 Early Call In - No Detail Given 6 10.09 15.5%
3 Called In Early for Patrol Support 3 8.33 12.8%
4 Called In Early for Pro-Phoenix / Quals Support 2 2.00 3.1% 5 Called In Early for Sick Call / Minimums 1 1.67 2.6%
Code Total 38 65.10
UASTRNG - UAS Training
Rank Note Subcategory
# of OT
Entries
Total OT
Hours
% of Code
Hours
1 Quarterly UAS Training 9 26.50 41.5%
2 UAS Study & General Training 6 22.08 34.5%
3 Joint Agency / SWAT UAS Training 1 10.50 16.4%
4 Drone Maintenance & Equipment Prep 1 4.83 7.6%
Code Total 17 63.91
LEADR MTG - Leadership Meeting
Rank Note Subcategory
# of OT
Entries
Total OT
Hours
% of Code
Hours
1 Monthly / Mandatory Leadership Meeting 11 31.67 52.8% 2 Offsite Leadership Meetings (Mizuho, Glazer's, Rec Centers) 8 25.76 43.0% 3 Department & Staff Meetings 1 2.50 4.2%
Code Total 20 59.93
TRAFFIC CO - Traffic Callout
Rank Note Subcategory
# of OT
Entries
Total OT
Hours
% of Code
Hours
1 Fatal & Major Collision Call-Outs (11-80) 5 16.75 54.6% 2 Traffic Call-Out - Case Number Only 3 13.92 45.4%
Code Total 8 30.67
NHUSD - School Paid Event
Rank Note Subcategory
# of OT
Entries
Total OT
Hours
% of Code
Hours
1 James Logan Graduation & Torch Run 4 13.83 60.6%
2 James Logan Graduation - Crowd Control 2 9.00 39.4%
Code Total 6 22.83
EXPMTG - Explorer Meeting (Comp Time)
Rank Note Subcategory
# of OT
Entries
Total OT
Hours
% of Code
Hours
1 Explorer Recruitment & Interviews 4 10.75 49.2%
2 Explorer Training Topics & Presentations 4 5.67 26.0% Agenda Item No. 5.1
City Council Staff Report Page 10 of 15 September 22, 2026 7 1 1
3 Explorer Meeting - General 3 3.67 16.8%
4 Facility Tours (Dispatch, Animal Shelter) 1 1.75 8.0% Code Total 12 21.84
UASOT - UAV Overtime
Rank Note Subcategory
# of OT
Entries
Total OT
Hours
% of Code
Hours
1 UAS Support for SWAT Operations 4 17.50 82.4%
2 Drone Registration, Labeling & Certification 2 3.75 17.6% Code Total 6 21.25
MINCALL - Minimum Call In
Rank Note Subcategory
# of OT
Entries
Total OT
Hours
% of Code
Hours
1 Other Minimum Call In 2 9.00 47.4%
2 Inspections (OYCR / Juvenile Holding) 2 4.00 21.1%
3 PSU / Internal Investigation Interviews 2 4.00 21.1%
4 Critical Incident Debrief 1 2.00 10.5%
Code Total 7 19.00
EXPEVNT - Explorer Related Event (OT)
Rank Note Subcategory
# of OT
Entries
Total OT
Hours
% of Code
Hours
1 Explorer Supervision at Community Events 2 10.00 58.8% 2 Explorer Supervision at Traffic Operations 1 7.00 41.2% Code Total 3 17.00
CALL BK - Call Back
Rank Note Subcategory
# of OT
Entries
Total OT
Hours
% of Code
Hours
1 SWAT Call-Outs & Activations 7 14.17 87.6%
2 Team Meetings 1 2.00 12.4%
Code Total 8 16.17
OA - Outside Assist
Rank Note Subcategory
# of OT
Entries
Total OT
Hours
% of Code
Hours
1 SWAT Support for Outside Agency 1 4.50 100.0%
Code Total 1 4.50
All Codes - Total OT Hours 5,654 25,784.07
The City of Fremont’s transition to the Pro-Phoenix computer aided dispatching system also required training for Union City staff. Table 3 below summarizes the overtime impact of the Pro-Phoenix Project
Table 3. Pro-Phoenix Project – Overtime Impact
Agenda Item No. 5.1
City Council Staff Report Page 11 of 15 September 22, 2026 7 1 1
Pro-Phoenix Tag Code
# of OT
Entries
Total OT
Hours
Direct project work TRN - Training 105 899.40
Direct project work SPC - Special Assignment 30 169.50
Direct project work SHIFT ACT - Shift Activity 30 151.33 Direct project work ADMIN ASSMNT - Admin Assignment 15 16.75 Direct project work RPT - Report Writing 2 2.16
Direct project work PART-TIME EMPLOYEE - Extra Hours Only (Not OT) 1 1.58 Direct project work EARLY CALL - Early Call In 1 1.00
Direct project work - subtotal 184 1,241.72
Backfill - confirmed SERV MIN - Service Minimums 22 174.16 Backfill - confirmed SAFE MIN - Safety Minimums 11 90.32 Backfill - confirmed Union Landing OT 2 16.33
Backfill - confirmed - subtotal 35 280.81
Backfill - likely (inferred) SERV MIN - Service Minimums 5 49.24 Backfill - likely (inferred) - subtotal 5 49.24
Total Pro-Phoenix attributable OT 224 1,571.77
% of all OT hours in the file 6.1%
For all other departments, Table 4 below lists the overtime comment categories by each department, number of line entries by staff, total overtime hours for each comment category, and percent of department overtime.
Table 4. Overtime Comment Categories – Top 10 per Department CMO - City Manager's Office
Rank Comment Category
# of OT
Lines
Total OT
Hours
% of Dept
OT
1 District Dialogue Events 5 12.00 38.7%
2 CERT Board Meetings - Union City 3 7.00 22.6%
3 CERT Board Meetings - Newark 2 4.00 12.9%
4 Newark PPRR Training 2 3.00 9.7%
5 CERT Monthly Training 1 2.00 6.5%
6 Community Training (USGS) 1 2.00 6.5%
7 Emergency Exercise Planning Meetings 1 1.00 3.2%
CMO Total 15 31.00
CRS - Community & Recreation Services
Rank Comment Category
# of OT
Lines
Total OT
Hours
% of Dept
OT
1 Community Festivals & Cultural Events 23 167.00 11.7% 2 Preschool - Staff Coverage & Closing 86 118.00 8.2%
3 Opioid & Narcan Outreach Events 18 114.00 8.0%
4 City Council Meetings 28 79.50 5.5%
5 Seasonal & Family Events 13 61.50 4.3%
6 Holiday & Weekend Shifts Worked 11 61.25 4.3%
Agenda Item No. 5.1
City Council Staff Report Page 12 of 15 September 22, 2026 7 1 1
7 Center & Site Coverage 32 55.25 3.9%
8 District Dialogue Events 14 51.50 3.6%
9 Facility Rentals & Reception Issues 18 48.00 3.3%
10 Preschool - Operations, Meetings & Parents 24 45.75 3.2% All Other Categories (27 categories) 222 631.50 44.1%
CRS Total 489 1,433.25
ECD - Economic & Community Development
Rank Comment Category
# of OT
Lines
Total OT
Hours
% of Dept
OT
1 Planning Commission Hearings & Meetings 17 37.75 15.2% 2 Raising Cane's - CEQA & Tribal Consultation 11 33.50 13.5% 3 Development Project Reviews & Staff Reports 7 17.75 7.2% 4 District Dialogues 5 15.75 6.4%
5 CAP 2.0 - Policy, Budget & GHG Work 6 15.50 6.3%
6 Seven Hills Estates 5 15.50 6.3%
7 City Council Meetings & Appeals 9 13.75 5.5%
8 Station East Phase 2 4 13.00 5.2%
9 CivicSpark Fellow Recruitment & Contract 3 11.50 4.6% 10 Raising Cane's - Entitlements & Agreements 4 11.00 4.4% All Other Categories (11 categories) 31 63.00 25.4%
ECD Total 102 248.00
FIN - Finance
Rank Comment Category
# of OT
Lines
Total OT
Hours
% of Dept
OT
1 Bank Reconciliation – Tyler Munis Transition 43 125.00 12.6% 2 HR Paperwork & PAF Processing 28 103.50 10.5%
3 Payroll Processing & Review 41 100.50 10.1%
4 Timesheet, Timecard & T&A Review 16 78.25 7.9%
5 Year-End Recons (Investments, POB/BNYM, Fund 112) 13 66.00 6.7% 6 CIP Projects 19 57.75 5.8%
7 CalPERS Reporting & Reconciliation 14 56.50 5.7%
8 Year-End Close & Journal Entries 20 47.00 4.7%
9 Salary Tables, COLAs & Leave Accruals 11 41.50 4.2%
10 Grants, CDBG & Grant Billing 11 39.00 3.9%
All Other Categories (19 categories) 114 275.25 27.8%
FIN Total 330 990.25
HRS - Human Resources
Rank Comment Category
# of OT
Lines
Total OT
Hours
% of Dept
OT
1 Payroll Corrections & Tyler Support – Tyler Munis Transition 8 18.50 29.1% 2 Disability + Mission Square Combined Reporting 7 14.50 22.8% 3 Disability Spreadsheet Updates 6 14.00 22.0%
4 Mission Square (MSQ) Reporting 2 5.00 7.9%
5 Audits & Surveys 3 4.00 6.3%
6 STD/LTD & ALT Rate Updates 1 4.00 6.3%
Agenda Item No. 5.1
City Council Staff Report Page 13 of 15 September 22, 2026 7 1 1
7 Benefit Enrollment & Benefit Fair 2 3.00 4.7%
8 Recruitment & General Admin 1 0.50 0.8%
HRS Total 30 63.50
ITS - Information Services
Rank Comment Category
# of OT
Lines
Total OT
Hours
% of Dept
OT
1 City Council Meeting Support 12 35.00 31.0%
2 Planning Commission Support 4 16.00 14.2%
3 BART Mural Project Forums & Meetings 4 9.00 8.0%
4 District Meeting Support 2 8.00 7.1%
5 UCPD Employee Night 1 8.00 7.1%
6 CRS Master Plan Meeting Support 2 6.00 5.3%
7 National Night Out Support 2 6.00 5.3%
8 Special & Joint Council Meeting Support 2 6.00 5.3%
9 General Support Coverage 1 6.00 5.3%
10 Mayor's Conference & Town Hall Support 2 5.00 4.4%
All Other Categories (2 categories) 3 8.00 7.1%
ITS Total 35 113.00
PWD - Public Works
Rank Comment Category
# of OT
Lines
Total OT
Hours
% of Dept
OT
1 Work Furlough - Coverage for [REDACTED] 75 602.00 15.0% 2 Bus Shelter Cleaning 53 423.00 10.5%
3 Street Sweeping - Islands & Medians 47 376.00 9.4%
4 Work Furlough / SWAP Crew Program 40 310.00 7.7%
5 Weed Abatement & Landscape - UCB 35 279.00 6.9%
6 Weed Abatement & Landscape - Mission Blvd 19 149.00 3.7% 7 Ball Field & Park Grounds Maintenance 18 148.00 3.7%
8 Weed Abatement & Landscape - Alvarado-Niles 17 136.00 3.4% 9 Storm Drain & Catch Basin Inventory 35 135.00 3.4%
10 Street Sweeping - Mission Blvd 88 132.00 3.3%
All Other Categories (37 categories) 327 1,324.95 33.0% PWD Total 754 4,014.95
All Departments - Total OT Hours 1,755
6,893.95
Attachment 1 to the staff report provides the full list of non-Police overtime comments.
Staff also reviewed overtime usage by pay period, looking for trends and patterns which could help staff manage overtime expenses. Attachment 2 provides a summary of overtime and comp-time usage by department programs.
General increases in overtime expenses for FY 2024-2025 and FY 2025-2026 In reviewing the date and speaking with department managers, there seem to be four Agenda Item No. 5.1
City Council Staff Report Page 14 of 15 September 22, 2026 7 1 1
areas which are causing an increase in overtime expenses. • Homelessness – The number of incidences where Union City staff must work with homeless issues has increased, and the resources used is greater than typical. • Illegal Dumping – The number of incidences are significantly higher than years past, and City staff must promptly deal with them.
• Technology Upgrade – Finance and Police software systems require working extra hours.
• Staffing Coverage – Staff out on long-term leave and vacancy leads to existing staff covering the extra work.
These four categories have the greatest variability in future years. Homelessness and illegal dumping directly affect residents’ quality of life and remain top priorities for the City Council, which has emphasized maintaining consistent response levels. With respect to technology upgrades, some overtime costs are expected to decrease as the City completes its transition to the new financial software. However, other necessary upgrades—such as the implementation of new departmental systems like the Central Square permit software—will require significant work across IT, Public Works, Economic and Community Development, and Finance. Reducing staff coverage may also be difficult due to minimum staffing requirements and essential operational needs.
Summary
Over the past two fiscal years, Union City’s overtime usage has risen, averaging a 15% annual, driven primarily by Police, Public Works, Community & Recreation Services, and Finance. The report shows that overtime is largely tied to minimum staffing requirements, vacancies, after-hours emergencies, legally mandated deadlines, and City events. Police overtime is especially complex, with more than 25,000 hours logged across detailed operational categories, from service minimums and shift activity to training, investigations, and special events. Public Works overtime reflects increased homelessness response, illegal dumping, storm impacts, and landscape maintenance. Finance and IT overtime is heavily influenced by technology upgrades, including the Pro-Phoenix CAD/RMS transition and Tyler Munis finance software transition, which alone accounted for more than 2,000 overtime hours. Staff note that overtime is sometimes more cost-effective than hiring additional personnel and that some costs are reimbursable through grants and fees.
The report concludes that overtime is a necessary tool for maintaining service levels, but that recent increases, particularly in homelessness, illegal dumping, technology upgrades, and staffing coverage, are areas where future management attention could reduce costs.
Looking forward, staff believe that the review of the overtime data is helpful in understanding overtime uses in Union City, and management will review this information more frequently. Finance will work with all departments to appropriately budget for overtime use and improve cost recovery. This information can also be used as part of the upcoming budget process.
Agenda Item No. 5.1
City Council Staff Report Page 15 of 15 September 22, 2026 7 1 1
FISCAL IMPACT
There is no impact in the presentation of this report
RECOMMENDATION
It is recommended that the City Council receive and file this report.
Prepared by: Chu Thai, Finance Director
Submitted by: Chu Thai, Finance Director
Attachments
1. Full List of Non-Police Overtime Comments
2. Overtime Hours by Pay Period