Officials with the Dallas Fire Fighters Association claim the city is “jerking them around” by failing to make timely overtime payments they say are still due from the December and January COVID-19 crisis.
The overtime payments stem from the COVID-19 surge when firefighters worked voluntary and mandated overtime to ensure the rigs were staffed when members were off sick with Covid-19.
Union officials said the city had a policy before December of 2021, to cancel out any sick leave taken for COVID-19 with overtime hours accrued by firefighters within a typical 28-day, 212-hour pay period, WFAA reported.
The city ended the policy in December so a firefighter’s overtime would no longer be impacted if they got sick with COVID-19.
Union officials said they worked out an agreement in February resolving the issue, but firefighters are still waiting to receive payments.
Union officials said firefighters who got sick and recovered, then stepped up filling shifts for others infected – accruing overtime pay – are still waiting to be paid two months later.
City officials have stated that any outstanding overtime money will be paid.
