The Metro Louisville Council gave final approval last Thursday, November 19, 2009 to a plan that will effectively settle two law suits and pay upwards of $45 million in back overtime wages to Louisville firefighters. It is estimated that nearly 800 firefighters will be impacted by the settlement. One law suit dates back 9 years, while the other dates back 15 years. Both involve the overtime provision of the Federal Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA) and Kentucky's Wage and Hour Laws.
The crux of the case involves the proper calculation of overtime by the city. The first installment will be paid by Metro government on December 1, 2009.