The MTA Board met for the first time since an inspector general audit found more cases of overtime abuse within the Long Island Rail Road.

About a month ago, the MTA Inspector General released a letter that 26 of the LIRR's top earners were raking in over $300,000 with overtime in 2018. That is more than triple their base rates.

At the MTA board meeting in Manhattan, the public was allowed to voice comments and concerns.

One of the first speakers, labor union representative Vincent Tessitore, defended the overtime hours.

Tessitore says, “We're investigating all of the holes in time and attendance, but nobody seems to be looking at the requirement for this overtime— the huge projects that need to get accomplished and putting time to those projects.”

LIRR President Phil Eng responded to the Inspector General's audit, saying in part, "The management team takes very seriously any confirmed abuses described in the Inspector General's letter."

Eng says the LIRR has already begun implementing changes including biometric clocks and new practices to review staff attendance records. He says he plans to report the progress in the coming months.