Today’s FLSA Question: I am a full-time firefighter in a small combination fire department. My department has a long history of providing FLSA comp time instead of paying FLSA overtime. However, the department uses the firefighter’s base hourly rate when using accrued comp time. This base rate does not include any wage incentives or stipends. Additionally, the fire department allows ...
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$1.575 Million Settlement in Milwaukee Fire Department FLSA Suit
The City of Milwaukee, Wisconsin has proposed a settlement of more than $1.5 million with several hundred city firefighters following a 2020 FLSA lawsuit. The settlement, which still requires court approval, allocates up to $1.15 million for back wages and damages, up to $400k for the firefighters’ attorneys, another $25k for court costs, and an additional $5k for the firefighter ...
Read More »Honolulu Medic Files FLSA Lawsuit
A paramedic from Honolulu, Hawaii has filed an FLSA lawsuit on behalf of himself, and other similarly situated individuals, claiming the Honolulu Department of Emergency Services is violating the FLSA. In the complaint, which was filed last week in the United States District Court for the District of Hawaii, paramedic Robert Hayslip makes three basic allegations: Hayslip alleges his employer ...
Read More »Reimbursement for Lost and Damaged Department Issued Electronic Devices and the FLSA
Today’s FLSA Question: I am a fire chief for a small full-time fire and EMS department. The folks at town hall just announced a new town-wide policy that requires all senior-level administrative staff [including myself and my assistant chief] be financially responsible for any costs associated with the loss, theft, or damage of any department issued electronic device. This includes ...
Read More »FL Fire District Settles FLSA Lawsuit with Firefighters
The Destin Fire Control District has settled an FLSA lawsuit with a total of nine firefighters for almost $40,000. The firefighters had alleged that the district required them to attend specific training sessions while off-duty and did not compensate them for that time. The district countered by claiming the firefighters attendance at the trainings was purely voluntary and provided by ...
Read More »Settlement Reached with CA Sheriff Deputies Following FLSA Lawsuit
San Joaquin County, California has reached a $279,000 settlement with a group of sheriff deputies following a 2020 lawsuit for alleged FLSA violations. The settlement, which was approved by a federal judge on August 15, 2022, settles a lawsuit filed by forty sergeants from the San Joaquin Sheriff’s Office. The sergeants claimed that the county failed to properly calculate their ...
Read More »Jury Finds Louisville Police SWAT Members Not Entitled to On-Call Pay
A jury has found members of the Louisville Metro Police Department’s SWAT team are not entitled to back-pay and overtime pay for hours spent on-call. In 2016, a total of 46 current and formers SWAT members filed this lawsuit alleging the department’s on-call policies for SWAT team members was unreasonably restrictive and as such should be compensated. According to the ...
Read More »Four Florida Firefighters File FLSA Suit Against Town
Four Micanopy Fire and Rescue firefighters have filed a federal lawsuit against their employer alleging violations of the FLSA. According to the town’s website, the Micanopy Fire and Rescue Department responds to over 400 calls per year over an area of fifty-three square miles and serves a population around 10,000 people. The department is staffed by a full time fire ...
Read More »Retired Georgia Battalion Chief Files Lawsuit for Unpaid Overtime and Breach of Contract
A recently retired battalion chief from the Roswell, Georgia Fire Department has filed a federal lawsuit against the City of Roswell alleging the city’s pay practices violate both the FLSA and state laws. Retired Battalion Chief Edwin Vickery filed the lawsuit on July 28, 2022, in the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Georgia. Here is a breakdown ...
Read More »Paramedic and Length of Service Bonuses and the FLSA
Today’s FLSA Question: I am a full-time firefighter for a small city fire department. Our state does not recognize collective bargaining for public employees and we are not represented by a union. Firefighter pay in our city lags behind most of our neighboring departments. As a result, recruitment and retention is a huge issue. The city recently looked to address ...
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