CoA flags Senate overtime payments

The Commission on Audit (CoA) flagged the policies of the Senate when it came to granting overtime payments for employees despite failing to comply with established guidelines set for government personnel.

In its annual audit for 2025, state auditors identified that the Senate has failed to act on reforming its protocols as far as payment for overtime services, noting that the same issue was observed in the previous year’s audit.

CoA said that the office had granted overtime pay to employees that had failed to complete the required 40 regular working hours while rendering at least two hours of authorized overtime service.

“Since the Senate observed a four-day work week with employees rendering 10 hours per day, any absence of any given day results in non-completion of the 40 hours requirement,” the report read.

“For CY 2025, Senate employees received overtime pay for services rendered during the week even when they incurred absences,” it added.

State auditors said that such practices contradicted pertinent provisions of the Civil Service Commission (CSC) and Department of Budget and Management (DBM) Joint Circular No. 02, Series of 2015.

The audit stated that the Senate was recommended to review and revise its internal rules and procedures to align with the said circular.

Officials from the Senate had complied with the recommendations, with the Senate Secretary issuing an advisory in November of 2024 while the draft of the revised policy was pending approval.

Despite the supposed changes, CoA said that the legislative office appeared to have continued utilizing its existing policies which were previously questioned.

“We recommend, and Management agreed, to finalize the draft Senate Policy on the rendition of overtime services of employees considering the peculiarity of activities of the Senate,” state auditors said.