Overtime Spiking - CT Dept of Correction - May 2025
This study of overtime work and pay in the Connecticut Department of Correction (DOC) reveals that workers nearing retirement work long hours of overtime. Since, for most Corrections workers, OT pay immediately before retirement is includable in earnings upon which pensions are based, this boosts pensions significantly. This behavior is called overtime spiking (OT spiking). Some workers are retiring with pensions in excess of final salary. Most Corrections workers hired before 2017 engage in OT spiking, which increases significantly pension benefits for retiring workers and pension expense for the State of Connecticut.
