Tag Archives: overtime

Overtime, Vacation Credit, and the FLSA

Today’s burning question: My fire department if we work overtime during a work period during which we take vacation, rather than pay overtime for the extra hours worked, they credit back vacation time. Our HR and Fire Chief claim it is against the law (FLSA) to be paid overtime and receive vacation hours in the same time work period. Is this true?

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Compensation For Work While On Vacation

Today’s burning question: We are combination department in which our full-time firefighters are permitted to respond back to alarms. We pay them their overtime rate for the extra time they work. Is it permissible under the FLSA to pay the firefighter overtime for returning to an alarm while we are paying him to be on vacation (ie. twice for the same time)?

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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

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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?

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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.

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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.

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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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Burning Question: FLSA, Overtime and Consecutive Hours

Today’s burning question: I work for a small department that relies heavily on overtime to fill shifts to meet minimum staffing levels. I heard there is a limit to how many consecutive hours a firefighter can work. The number 48 has been used and rumor has it that it is an FLSA issue. Is there a limit to the hours that a firefighter can work?

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Pennsylvania Volunteer Fire Company Sued For FLSA Violation

Five employees of a volunteer fire department in Pennsylvania have filed suit claiming they were improperly classified as partially-exempt 7k firefighters and denied overtime after they worked 40 hours per week. Dennis A. Szweda, Janelle Schmeck, David Ciabattoni, Reed A. Apostol and Donald Hirsch filed suit against the Exeter Township Volunteer Fire Department.

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Small Fire Departments and Overtime

Today’s burning question: I work for a small town fire department as one of two paid firefighters. Everyone else is a volunteer. The town manager refuses to pay us overtime until we work 212 hours in 28 days. Everywhere else I have ever worked, overtime had to be paid after 40 hours in a week. Can the town manager get away with this?

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Compensation for Voluntary Attendance at Open House

Today’s burning question: Our department hosts an open house during fire prevention week. When the recession hit back in 2009 the department stopped compensating off-duty members who attended the open house. Can the department refuse to pay us for that time, and what would happen if one of our off-duty uncompensated members is injured at the open house?

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Counting Vacation and Sick Time As Hours Worked

Today’s burning question: If a collective bargaining agreement requires a fire department to count vacation time and sick time as hours worked for overtime purposes, do these hours have to count toward hours worked for FLSA overtime purposes? Answer: No. The Fair Labor Standards Act only requires ...

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