MADISON, WI (WTAQ) - University of Wisconsin employees are limited by state law to $12,000 a year in extra pay for academic duties.

But 60 people got more than that last year – and Gannett’s Wisconsin newspapers said some employees pulled in over $20,000 extra.

The law applies to any state employee who works in two different roles. In the UW System, the extra pay comes in “overloads” for academic responsibilities beyond base levels.

University officials said inconsistent record-keeping skewed some of the data. And in other cases, instructors had no choice to get extra work because unexpected resignations pressed them into duty.

University spokesman David Giroux said the problems can be fixed with instruction and coaching to those involved.

State Assembly Colleges Committee chair Steve Nass, a frequent UW critic, calls this another sign of mismanagement.