Uniform Overtime Policies.
Milwaukee Code of Ordinances § 350-3
in effect350-3. Uniform Overtime Policies.
Except as provided in s. 350-6, or unless stated otherwise in a certified collective bargaining agreement while it is in force and in effect, the following overtime policies shall be applied uniformly to positions in the city service.
1. CASH OR COMPENSATORY TIME. The determination as to whether overtime shall be taken as cash or compensatory time shall be made by each department head in consultation with the budget and management division. Department heads shall notify employees of whether cash or compensatory time-off is being offered for overtime worked prior to the actual work being performed. If notification is not provided that compensatory time is being offered for overtime worked, cash shall be paid for the overtime worked. The accumulated compensatory time credit for each employee at no time shall exceed 180 hours of banked compensatory time, which is equivalent on a time and one-half basis to 120 hours worked.
2. AS OVERTIME ONLY. When computing overtime of either type, time compensated for any reason on an overtime basis shall not be counted in computing further overtime.
3. RATE. Overtime shall be compensated, whether as cash or compensatory time, at time and one-half the rate at which it was earned.
4. AUTHORIZATION. Department heads are authorized to order overtime work, and no overtime shall be worked unless so ordered.
5. HOLIDAYS. All hours worked on a holiday as specified under s. 350-1, s. 350-2-2-a or s. 350-2-2.5 by an eligible, fair labor standards act non-exempt employee shall be considered overtime.
5.5. EMERGENCY OVERTIME WORK.
a. Public Works. As determined by the commissioner of public works, hours worked by an eligible department of public works employee, in response to an emergency call-out, or as a result of an emergency call-out, that is outside of the employee’s regular work schedule, shall be considered overtime in accordance with applicable provisions of the salary ordinance.
b. Water Works. Hours worked by an eligible water works employee shall be considered overtime in accordance with applicable provisions of the salary ordinance as follows:
b-1. Hours worked by a plant operations employee in response to an emergency call-out for a shift replacement.
b-2. Additional hours worked by a plant operations employee following the employee’s scheduled work shift, as required by a department directive due to an unexpected staffing shortage.
b-3. Hours worked by a distribution section employee in response to an emergency call-out for water main repairs, if performed outside of the employee’s regular work schedule.
c. Pension-eligible Overtime Hours. The city comptroller shall report overtime hours worked by an eligible department of public works employee due to an emergency call-out, or hours worked by an eligible water works distribution section employee in response to an emergency call-out for water main repairs, to the employes’ retirement system. Up to a maximum of 80 straight-time hours at straight-time rates of pay shall be reported in pay periods in which an employee is compensated for less than 80 straight-time hours due to work performed as a result of an emergency call-out.
d. Department of Emergency Communications. Additional hours worked by an eligible department of emergency communications employee following the employee’s scheduled work shift, as required by a department directive in response to an unexpected staffing shortage, shall be considered overtime in accordance with applicable provisions of the salary ordinance.
6. CHANGE OF SHIFT. For departments that have regularly-scheduled multiple shifts, employees who are provided with less than 48 hours notice of a change in shift shall receive overtime for all hours worked during the subsequent 48-hour period.
7. EXCLUSIONS. Nothing contained within this section is intended to authorize or require overtime compensation for employees who are excluded from overtime compensation by other provisions of the code.
Source: City of Milwaukee Legislative Reference Bureau, Milwaukee City Charter and Code of Ordinances (city.milwaukee.gov master PDFs)URL: https://city.milwaukee.gov/ImageLibrary/Groups/ccClerk/Ordinances/Volume-3/CH350-sub1.pdf#page=2Fetched: 10/26/2026