Massachusetts state employee found to double-dip pay with Revere job
A woman who worked for both the City of Revere and the state was found to have been double dipping on her paydays, a violation that will cost her $20,000 in civil penalties.
Jessica Santiago was both the aquatics manager for the Revere Parks and Recreation Department and the regional coordinator for the state Department of Conservation and Recreation’s aquatics program.
The State Ethics Commission said she claimed sick leave and paid work time from both positions to actually perform work for the other, and did it repeatedly, amassing some 330 overlapping hours and at least $9,000 in unearned income.
And while taxpayers may not be happy with the situation, families in Revere were more directly impacted, the commission notes in its order.
“Due in whole or in part to (Santiago’s) absences from her City job, the City’s pool was not properly staffed and maintained, which resulted in the City having to issue thousands of dollars in refunds to parents of children who were impacted by cancelled swimming lessons and unexpected pool closures,” the order states.
Santiago had no representation during the adjudicatory process, the Commission notes, and even as self-represented “has not cooperated with or engaged in it. … Further, Respondent had ample opportunity to bring any mitigating circumstances to the Presiding Officer and/or Commission’s attention, but she failed to do so.”
The Commission said that it rendered an order for a “higher civil penalty in this case” because not only did she steal unearned income, her actions caused the City of Revere to pay out thousands of dollars in refunds.
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Santiago was paid a gross salary of $74,128.40 by the state last year, according to the Herald’s payroll database. She was paid $29,781 by Revere in 2022, according to data from GovSalaries.com.