Fire Law Blog Fire Service and Public Safety Legal Issues Blog by Curt Varone
Should a firefighter or EMT be allowed to hold two full time jobs with different agencies? That question is at the center of a controversy in Boston where Richard G. Covino serves as a paramedic for Boston Emergency Medical Services, and a firefighter for the Massachusetts Port Authority.
Covino was suspended from Massport on April 14, and placed on administrative leave by the city of Boston on April 29 following Boston Globe inquiries about his work schedule and days he was allegedly paid to work both places at the same time.
Following an investigation, it was established that Covino used legitimate substitutions on each occasion where there was a schedule conflict. He was subsequently reinstated to both positions, but the issue is unlikely to go away soon. Here is an article about the case. Here is another.
There is no Federal limit on the total number of hours that an employee can work for multiple employers. Some states have laws that limit public employees from serving in more than one public position, although such laws commonly apply to elected or appointed positions.
Employers may prohibit employees from working a second full time job, or even having a second part time job. In this case neither employer had such a requirement. Trying to impose such a requirement in a collective bargaining environment will likely constitute a change in working conditions that the unions are entitled to bargain over.
