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WV Regional Jail Authority Plans On Hiring 100 New Employees

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Members of the state Regional Jail Authority have endorsed a plan to hire 100 new full-time employees.

The plan must be approved by the Department of Military Affairs and Public Safety and the Division of Personnel.

Executive director Joe DeLong told the authority that hiring the workers will cost about $2.4 million a year but should reduce the authority's overtime costs by at least $3.6 million annually.

DeLong said original staffing plans failed to account for employees being off for holidays, vacation days or sick leave. That means 648 current correctional officers have to make up the difference, often with mandatory overtime.

DeLong said finding applicants for the new positions shouldn't be a problem at most of the 10 regional jails