Tag Archives: overtime

In today’s episode, firefighter-attorney Brian Massatt answers an advanced overtime question on a firefighter who is substituting for another firefighter, and who ends up working beyond that firefighter’s scheduled shift. Today is the second day of the three-day FLSA Conference ...

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In this episode, Curt discusses an FLSA lawsuit filed by a Memphis firefighter, Jon Misewicz, over the issue of whether firefighters have to be compensated for attending mandatory paramedic training. Misewizc v. City of Memphis is the definitive ruling on the compensability of EMS training time for firefighters.

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A class action Fair Labor Standards Act suit brought last year by EMTs in Livingston County, Michigan has been settled for $150,000. The suit was brought by five EMTs who alleged that the county miscalculated their regular rate, which in turn led to a miscalculation of their overtime compensation.

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Fifty-eight members of Morgantown Firefighters IAFF Local 313 filed suit last week in Monongalia County Circuit Court, claiming the city has not been paying them for holiday pay in accordance with state law.

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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.

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A federal court in Missouri has ruled that employees of air ambulance providers are not entitled to overtime compensation because air ambulance providers are exempt from the Fair Labor Standards Act. The suit was filed last year by a flight medic, Jacob Riegelsberger, against Air Evac EMS, Inc. under the FLSA because he and his co-workers were only paid overtime after they worked 84 hours in a two week paid period.

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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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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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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.

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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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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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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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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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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.

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