Wage and Hour

Burning Question on Different Rates Of Pay

Today’s burning question: Can a municipality change your pay rate depending on the job/situation? Answer: There is nothing in the Fair Labor Standards Act that prohibits an employer from playing employees different rates of pay when working in different jobs, or even working the same job at different times.

San Luis Obispo FLSA Settlement Calls For $3k In Damages $54k in Attorney’s Fees

The City of San Luis Obispo has reached an agreement to settle a Fair Labor Standards Act overtime lawsuit filed by its firefighters. The suit filed in 2016 alleged the city failed to include certain payments in the overtime.

West Virginia Firefighters Sue for Holiday Pay

Thirty-seven current and former Martinsburg firefighters have filed suit claiming the city failed to pay them holiday pay in accordance with state law. The suit was filed in Berkeley County Circuit Court by IAFF Local 805 President Mark Stroop on behalf of three captains, six lieutenants, 26 firefighters and two retirees

Origins of the 7K Firefighter Overtime Exemption

Today’s burning question: I was wondering if you knew the origin of the firefighter exemption from the 40-hour work week? Has there ever been a push to remove that exemption? Answer: The law you are referring to is the Fair Labor Standards Act, and more specifically 29 USC 207k within the act.

Substitutions, Acting Out Of Rank, and The FLSA

Today’s burning question: Our department allows substitutions, not just within ranks, but one rank up and one rank down. As a result, concerns have arisen about what the FLSA requires when a substituting member acts out of their designated rank. Are substituting members entitled to compensation for acting while subbing?

Are Kelly Days Supposed to be Paid or Unpaid Days Off

Today’s burning question: Does the FLSA require Kelly days to be paid or unpaid? Answer: The short answer is the FLSA does not require Kelly days to be paid or unpaid. That decision is left entirely up to the employer and employee to decide. As you might imagine different departments choose to handle it differently.

Burning Question on Overtime Training

Today’s burning question: I am a newly appointed fire chief, and have some grave concerns about how the city is calculating firefighter overtime. When are you going to have your FLSA class in [my state]? Answer: Unfortunately we can only deliver the FLSA class three times a year, once on the East Coast, once in the Mid-West, and once in the West.

Chiefs, Deployments, Reimbursements and Overtime

Today’s burning question: If an Assistant Chief who is classified as an exempt executive employee is deployed on a 2-week wildland or USAR deployment that is fully reimbursable through FEMA or the state, can the fire department only pay the assistant chief his regular weekly salary?

California Firefighters Battle With Mayor

This past weekend, a local newspaper in California wrote about a nasty dispute between the mayor of the City of La Verne and the La Verne Firefighters, IAFF Local 3624, that has prompted two separate federal court lawsuits in recent months.

East Greenwich Firefighters Claim Overtime Violation

Hardly a day goes by without a fire service FLSA lawsuit being filed or settled. This one in my own back yard is just the latest. Bill Maccarone did a deep dive into this case already. Here is Bill’s take. ...

Volunteers, Day Time Help and the FLSA

Today’s burning question: Our volunteer fire department is struggling to get enough help weekdays. We are thinking about paying some of our folks to be available during these hours. Can we pay our folks $4/hour to be available? Answer: Volunteer fire departments have to be very careful when it comes to compensating their personnel in any way.

Court Approves Settlement in California Firefighters’ Overtime Suit

A court-approved settlement has been reached between Modesto firefighters and the City of Modesto in a Fair Labor Standards Act lawsuit over the inclusion of health care buy-back in overtime.

KCK Firefighter Alleges Race and Disability Discrimination

A Kansas City Kansas firefighter who is facing termination has filed suit alleging race and disability discrimination. Jyan Harris filed suit this week in US District Court against the Kansas City Fire Department, Wyandotte County/City of Kansas City, and Kansas City Firefighters IAFF Local 64...

Are Battalion Chiefs Subject to The Highly Compensated Employee Exemption

Today's burning question: I am a city manager and I just read about an exception in the Fair Labor Standards Act that exempts anyone making over $100,000 per year from eligibility for overtime. Do our Battalion Chiefs and perhaps even our company officers meet the criteria to fall under this exemption? Answer: Your line officers probably do not but your staff officers may.

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