California State Parks department overpaid 200 employees, review finds

4:21 PM, Dec 18, 2012   |    comments
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SACRAMENTO, Calif. (AP) - A state review finds that more than 200 state employees were overpaid more than $500,000 by managers who deliberately broke state rules at the troubled California Department of Parks and Recreation.  

Tuesday's report by state Controller John Chiang is the latest blow to a department where employees were found last summer to have kept $54 million hidden in two special funds for more than a decade, even as dozens of parks faced closure. 

Chiang criticized what he called a "deliberate disregard" for state policies. 

The controller found that managers broke rules and regulations to pay 203 employees about $520,000 in extra pay over three years. 

He said several dozen other employees were also overpaid more than $63,000 because they worked more hours or in higher-paying positions than allowed.

The Associated Press