Tag Archives: regulations

Today’s FLSA Question: I am a full-time firefighter in a small combination fire department. My department has a long history of providing FLSA comp time instead of paying FLSA overtime. However, the department uses the firefighter’s base hourly rate when using accrued comp time. This base rate does not include any wage incentives or stipends. Additionally, the fire department allows ...

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 ...

A paramedic from Honolulu, Hawaii has filed an FLSA lawsuit on behalf of himself, and other similarly situated individuals, claiming the Honolulu Department of Emergency Services is violating the FLSA. In the complaint, which was filed last week in the United States District Court for the District of Hawaii, paramedic Robert Hayslip makes three basic allegations: Hayslip alleges his employer ...

The Portland Firefighters’ Association, IAFF Local 43, is requesting that the City of Portland, Oregon increase firefighter overtime to a double time rate instead of the traditional time and one-half rate due to chronic staffing shortages and an excessive amount of mandatory overtime. According to both the city and the union, firefighters face progressive discipline if they refuse to work ...

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 ...

Today’s FLSA Question: I am a fire chief for a small full-time fire and EMS department. The folks at town hall just announced a new town-wide policy that requires all senior-level administrative staff [including myself and my assistant chief] be financially responsible for any costs associated with the loss, theft, or damage of any department issued electronic device. This includes ...

Should police officers assigned to a prestigious SWAT unit be paid while on-call awaiting their next activation? That is the question being asked this week in a Jefferson County courthouse in Louisville, Kentucky. A group of 41 current and former Louisville Metro Police Department (Metro) SWAT Team members filed the lawsuit over 5 years ago claiming their employer failed to ...

Today’s FLSA Question: I am a full-time firefighter for a small city fire department. Our state does not recognize collective bargaining for public employees and we are not represented by a union.  Firefighter pay in our city lags behind most of our neighboring departments. As a result, recruitment and retention is a huge issue. The city recently looked to address ...

In today’s Fire Law VLOG, Curt and Bill discuss the fire service implications related to an expected increase in the minimum salary requirements for overtime exempt white-collar [EAP] employees. Do you have questions about the FLSA and how it applies to firefighters and other first responders? Please consider attending the next FLSA for Fire Departments Live Webinar scheduled for June ...

Today’s FLSA Question: My fire department initiated a “sign-on bonus” program for paramedics a couple of years ago. Under the terms of the program, lateral paramedic transfers received a one-time $5,000 sign-on bonus at the time of hire. In exchange for the bonus, the paramedic signed an agreement that they would remain employed with the fire department for at least ...