The Upper Captiva Fire Protection and Rescue Service District (district) is facing its second FLSA misclassification lawsuit from a former chief officer since 2021. The district provides fire and EMS services on the tiny island of North Captiva on Florida’s gulf coast. The island of North Captiva is located a few miles northwest of Ft. Meyers Beach and is only ...
Read More »Tag Archives: back wages
DOL Investigation Finds Wildland Firefighters and Truck Drivers Owed More Than $150K in Back Wages and Overtime Pay
The Department of Labor (DOL) has found that a federal contractor hired by the United States government to combat “some of the nation’s worst wildfires” failed to properly compensate dozens of firefighters and truck drivers in violation of several federal statutes and DOL regulations. The violations occurred between June 2019 and October 2021 when these workers were deployed to fight ...
Read More »$3 Million Reasons Why a Collectively Bargained ‘MOU’ Will Not Trump the FLSA’s Overtime and Regular Rate Requirements
Today’s FLSA Question: Can the terms of a negotiated agreement between a union and an employer [i.e., collective bargaining agreement, memorandum of understanding, etc.] supersede the FLSA’s overtime requirements? Answer: No, a negotiated agreement between a union and an employer will not supersede the FLSA’s overtime requirements. This is a relatively common misconception when it comes to the impact of ...
Read More »$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 »More Litigation in Morgantown
Lawyers representing almost one-hundred Morgantown, West Virginia firefighters and police officers filed four separate lawsuits against the city this past week. In addition to the lawsuits, the unions that represent the city’s police officers and firefighters also announced “no-confidence” votes in the city council, city manager, and human resources director. The firefighters and police officers claim that recent reductions in ...
Read More »$415K Settlement in WV Holiday Pay Lawsuit
The City of Huntington, West Virginia has agreed to a $415,000 settlement with a group of current and former city firefighters following their 2020 lawsuit over holiday pay. The firefighters’ allegations center around a unique portion of the West Virginia Wage Payment and Collection Act that requires paid firefighters either receive time and one-half pay for all hours worked on ...
Read More »Allegations of Underpaid Firefighter Overtime Quickly Turn into Claims of Retaliation for One Alabama City
Firefighters in the City of Gadsden, Alabama recently filed a federal lawsuit alleging the city’s pay practices violate the FLSA. More recently, the same firefighters are now claiming [in an amended complaint filed on August 11, 2022] that the city has unlawfully retaliated against them in violation of both the FLSA and the U.S. Constitution. This story begins in May ...
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 »Alabama K9 Officers File FLSA Suit
A group of three Mobile, Alabama Police Department K-9 handlers have filed a federal lawsuit alleging the City of Mobile is violating the FLSA by not properly compensating them for all of the time spent caring for their four-legged partners. Wage and hour claims related to “off-the-clock” work activities like this are relatively commonplace in today’s workplace. The FLSA requires ...
Read More »Louisiana City Settles 2008 Lawsuit with Firefighters
The City of Bastrop, Louisiana, and a group of current and former city firefighters have finally reached a settlement following almost fifteen years of litigation, special property tax increases, and promises. The story starts back in 2008, when 32 Bastrop firefighters filed a lawsuit alleging the city was not paying them as required by Louisiana law. Louisiana law requires most ...
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