Battle Creek firefighters to receive reduced back pay settlement
The city of Battle Creek, Mich. announced that it is going to pay $73,265 to its firefighters in back pay rather than the original $253,903 that the U.S. Department of Labor had ordered from them for poor employee tracking. The employee relations director for the city, Russ Claggett, said the DOL notified Battle Creek officials that the city is responsible for paying the smaller sum. The DOL apparently did not correctly calculate the 53-hour weeks firefighters were working.
According to the Battle Creek Enquirer, the city was credited $43,375 for paying firefighters for a 2011 discrepancy and still owes $35,099.
When the DOL began investigating the fire department, it found that the county wasn't properly compensating employees for their 53-hour work weeks and 24-hour shifts. Subsequently, the department was asked to provide back pay for the firefighters' time and attendance from October 2010 to October 2012.
The decrease in back pay from the original sum was due to a decision made by individual employees. Claggett said the firefighters have rights under the Fair Labor Standards Act that allow them to accept the back pay or pursue legal action on their own.
All data and information provided on this news blog is for informational purposes only. Infinisource makes no representations as to accuracy, completeness, suitability, or validity of any information on this site and will not be liable for any errors, omissions, or delays in this information or any losses, injuries, or damages arising from its display or use. All information is provided on an as-is basis. Information regarding employment suits and other legal action is not updated after publication, and may not be current.