Beginning Aug. 14, some fire employees will see changes in their paychecks because of adjustments made to a federal law.
The Fair Labor Standard Act has been changed to ensure overtime protection for workers, according to the U.S. Department of Labor. The changes to the law are requiring Columbus officials to reclassify the titles for fire lieutenants and change the pay practices for fire lieutenants and fire captains.
Currently all lieutenants, except Emergency Medical Service lieutenants, are classified as exempt from overtime pay. Fire lieutenants work 21-day cycles and receive 6.5 percent stipends because of the extra time they work within the 168 hours of duty time.
The new law requires fire lieutenants' salaries to be readjusted to a partially exempt status. The city has interpreted this as meaning fire lieutenants will be paid time and a half for time worked over 159 hours and the 6.5 percent salary compensation will be taken away.
City officials have asked different attorneys to look at the law to ensure they are interpreting it correctly. The city believes that fire lieutenants will receive a net gain in their paychecks.
The city's human resources director Tom Barron said the changes to the law are to ensure first responders are compensated properly.
"Looking at the events of
9/11, there has been a lot of sympathy for our police and fire personnel, rightfully so," Barron said. "Lawmakers wanted to be sure they got the benefit of the doubt in every way, and I agree with that."
Firefighters Association President Eddie Hall said the organization is questioning whether the city's interpretation of the law is legal. The organization has an attorney looking at the law to make sure.
"When officers hear the city is going to reclassify them, they feel things are not on the up and up," Hall said. "We want to make sure things are on the up and up."
