Tag Archives: executive exemption

Fire Officer Overtime – Fire Law VLOG

In this edition of Fire Law VLOG, Curt and Bill Maccarone discuss three recent settlements involving fire officers and overtime. The three settlements involve lawsuits filed under the Fair Labor Standard Act (FLSA) – and in particular whether these officers ...

Louisiana Captain Files FLSA Class Action Suit

A Louisiana fire captain has filed suit claiming he and his colleagues were not paid overtime for the hours they worked that were in excess of the statutory maximum under the Fair Labor Standards Act. Brian Jackson filed suit in US District Court naming the Livingston Parish Fire Protection District 5

Court Rules For City in Reading Overtime Suit

A lawsuit filed by a retired Pennsylvania deputy chief seeking compensation for overtime hours, has resulted in a judgment in favor of the city. Gary Mogel claimed the City of Reading improperly classified him as an exempt “white-collar” executive.

Court Approves $240k FLSA Settlement For 3 California Battalion Chiefs

The settlement of an overtime lawsuit brought by three battalion chiefs with the Coronado Fire Department, has been approved by the US District Court for the Southern District of California. The suit was filed last April by BC Perry Peake as a class action alleging the city improperly classified BCs as exempt executives.

California Battalion Chief Sues Claiming Entitlement to Overtime

A battalion chief with the City of Coronado has filed suit claiming he and similarly situated battalion chiefs have been wrongly classified as exempt from overtime. Perry Peake filed the class action suit this week in US District Court for the Southern District of California.

Court Concludes Overtime Exemption for Company Officers Must Go To Jury

The US District Court for the Southern District of Ohio has ruled that a jury must decide whether company officers in the Eaton Fire Department are entitled to, or exempt from, overtime under the Fair Labor Standards Act. The suit was filed in 2019 by three captains and a lieutenant who claimed they were improperly classified as exempt executives.

Fire Officers and Overtime: Emmons v. Chesapeake

In this episode, Curt and Bill Maccarone discuss the recent decision by the 4th Circuit Court of Appeals in the case of Emmons v. City of Chesapeake on the issue of whether battalion chiefs are eligible for overtime, or if they are exempt executives. Spoiler alert: if you are a BC you will not like the decision.

Florida Captains Sue Under the FLSA

Sixteen captains in Marion County, Florida who are being treated as exempt executives under the Fair Labor Standards Act have filed suit in US District Court for the Middle District of Florida claiming they should be treated as non-exempt employees entitled to overtime.

Judge Dismisses Washington Fire Department’s FLSA Suit

A pre-emptive lawsuit filed by the Spokane Valley Fire Department in 2017 against IAFF Local 3701 over the issue of overtime for certain chief officers was dismissed today. The unprecedented lawsuit asked the court to determine whether or not battalion chiefs and fire marshals are exempt executives ineligible for overtime under the Fair Labor Standards Act.

Jury Finds that BCs in Vancouver Are Exempt Executives

A federal court jury has found that battalion chiefs in the Vancouver, Washington Fire Department qualify as exempt executives, and thus are exempt from the overtime requirements of the Fair Labor Standards Act. The decision was handed down earlier this year.

FLSA, Executive Exemption, Threats and Retaliation

Today’s burning question: The line chiefs in my fire department (deputy and battalion chiefs assigned to shifts) have gotten together to file an FLSA claim. We feel we are improperly classified as being exempt executives when we should be hourly employees. The Fire Chief has publicly stated that if we are successful, he will change our titles to eliminate the word “Chief”. Can he do that?

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?

Can Substitutions Impact Exempt Executive Status

Today’s burning question: If a battalion chief who is classified as an exempt executive is allowed to trade time with captains or lieutenants that are "non-exempt", would that have any bearing on whether the battalion chief qualifies as exempt or not? Answer: There are two tests to determine whether an employee is an exempt executive: the salary test and the primary duty test. An employee must satisfy both tests in order to be exempt and ineligible for overtime under the FLSA.

FLSA Retaliation – Why Go There?

Today’s burning question: I am a line battalion chief in a department that classifies all chief officers as white-collar exempt executives. As exempt executives we are not eligible for overtime. Our association obtained an opinion letter from a law firm that concluded line chiefs do not qualify as white-collar executives under either the traditional analysis nor under the 2004 First Responder Regulations.

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