Topeka ? Seems like a no-brainer — state agencies paying a lot of overtime, might save money by hiring more people.

That’s the bottom line from a new state audit that found the state paid $13.1 million in overtime in fiscal year 2008. The study didn’t include regents universities.

Auditors said they identified six state agencies that could cut salary costs by as much as $240,000 a year if they hired more workers to reduce their overtime, which is essentially time-and-a-half pay.

“While there certainly are situations where overtime makes sense for an agency, it’s important to remember that overtime is costly,” the report states.

But sometimes that’s easier said than done.

Charles Simmons, deputy secretary of the Kansas Department of Corrections, said the department has historically experienced problems in hiring and recruiting staff at its prisons.

And, he added, “Overtime is often necessary in emergency situations and in the correctional environment those situations cannot be fully accounted for in the budget process.”

Auditors concluded the primary reasons cited for overtime were to cover temporary gaps in staffing caused by illness or vacation, which was especially true at agencies that required round-the-clock staff, such as prisons; and to fill in for long-time vacancies.

Also, auditors said some low-paying jobs were made more attractive with the opportunity to work overtime.

And some state jobs just require odd duties that result in overtime.

The audit states two employees of the Kansas Lottery increase their annual pay by nearly 50 percent because they serve as “draw officials.”

At least one draw official is required to come in every evening to help draw lottery numbers. If there is any problem with the drawing, such as a machine malfunction or ticket sales aren’t appropriately shut down, then the Lottery facility has to be locked down until the situation is resolved, the audit states.

“Draw officials often have to remain at the facility until well into the morning when there is a lockdown,” the audit said.