By Leila Merrill
GADSDEN, Ala. — The city and its personnel director retaliated against current and former firefighters over a legal complaint saying that the city owes them money for overtime work, members of the Gadsden Fire Department claim in an amended complaint against the city filed in federal court last week.
The firefighters’ original complaint, filed in May, sought the recovery of damages from a claim that the city violated the overtime pay requirements of the Fair Labor Standards Act by failing “to pay its firefighters the correct overtime rate,” WBMA reported.
According to a news release from the office of the attorney representing the plaintiffs, meetings to discuss firefighter raises and a restructured pay scale were canceled.
Plaintiffs also said they were told that because of the original lawsuit, the rate of overtime pay for Sunday work could be eliminated, and the rate at which sick time is accrued may be reduced.