Tag Archives: on-call

Fire Prevention and Investigators, On-Call Pay, Regular Rate, and the FLSA

Today’s FLSA Question: I am the fire chief for mid-sized full-time fire department. Our fire prevention / investigation division has two full-time personnel that take turns being on-call after hours and weekends. Both of these personnel have take-home vehicles and respond after-hours to any confirmed structure fires or any suspicious fires. They divide on-call time between the two assigned personnel, ...

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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 ...

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Trial Begins in Louisville Police On-Call Pay Lawsuit

Should police officers assigned to a prestigious SWAT unit be paid while on-call awaiting their next activation? That is the question being asked this week in a Jefferson County courthouse in Louisville, Kentucky. A group of 41 current and former Louisville Metro Police Department (Metro) SWAT Team members filed the lawsuit over 5 years ago claiming their employer failed to ...

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Compensability of On-Call Time at the Fire Station and the FLSA

Today’s FLSA Question: I am full-time firefighter for a small combination fire department. We work a 24/48 schedule for an average of 56 hours per week. The department has a policy that requires firefighters be on-call for at least one 24-hour shift every two-week work period. The department pays on-call firefighters $24 for each on-call shift and overtime if called ...

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Arkansas Firefighters Gearing Up to File FLSA Suit Over On-Call Time

A lawyer representing a group of Blytheville, Arkansas firefighters is gearing up to sue the City of Blytheville for unpaid wages. According to NewsChannel 3, the lawyer sent a “demand letter” to city officials indicating the intent to file an FLSA lawsuit over a city policy that requires city firefighters be on-call 24-hours per day, seven days per week in ...

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Settlement reached in Wisconsin EMS Overtime Lawsuit

A lawsuit initially filed by only two Wisconsin paramedics in June 2018 has resulted in a settlement. The defendants in the suit—the Great Divide Ambulance Company and four different Wisconsin Townships—have agreed to pay twelve EMTs and medics a total of $255,000 to settle all overtime claims related to the suit. For more on the initial lawsuit: Wisconsin Medics Claim ...

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On-Call Stipend, Regular Rate, & the FLSA

Today’s FLSA Question: I am the union president of a mid-sized fire department. In our most recent contract negotiations, we were able to secure a small “on-call” stipend for several fire department officers that are required to be on-call. Starting July 1, the fire marshal and safety officer will each receive a weekly stipend for the inconvenience of being on-call. ...

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Louisiana Medics Fight Sleep and Meal Time Deductions – Want to Be Paid for All 168 Hours Per Workweek. . .

Four Louisiana paramedics claim their employer, the Parish of Plaquemines, Louisiana, failed to pay them any time and one-half over the past three years, despite working 7-day, 168-hour work shifts. The complaint, which was filed last week in U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Louisiana contains some very unique and interesting facts. We have allegations of unpaid overtime, ...

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Wisconsin Medics Claim Townships Failed to Pay Overtime

Two former paramedics for the Great Divide Ambulance Service (GDAS) have filed a federal lawsuit alleging GDAS and four different Wisconsin Townships failed to pay overtime in violation of the Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA). The pair claim the Townships of Drummond, Cable, Grand View, and Namakagon, Wisconsin created GDAS as a “joint venture” to provide emergency medical services to ...

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Cell Phones and the FLSA

Today’s FLSA Question: I run payroll for a small, full-time paid fire department. In lieu of department-issued cell phones, the fire chief has proposed a $50-per-month flat cell phone reimbursement for members of the command staff. The command staff (non-exempt) are required to have phones and must be available in case of an emergency. Does the FLSA require this reimbursement ...

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