The city government has made the first payments to public works and parks workers to whom it owes over $65,000.
The payments come as a result of a federal Department of Labor ruling that the city shortchanged the workers $65,808 by miscalculating overtime pay over a two-year period ending on Dec. 31, 2020.The department also ordered the city to install a new system to calculate overtime moving forward.
The ruling followed an investigation sparked by a complaint from United Public Service Employees Union (UPSEU), which represents more than 150 city government workers.
“We will stop at nothing to make sure our members are protected and are treated and paid in accordance with the law,” UPSEU Attorney Liz Ditman stated in a release.
The city is working on a new payroll system to calculate overtime moving forward, in light of the ruling, stated mayoral spokesperson Gage Frank.
“The city cooperated fully with the investigation, and in compliance with the U.S. DOL review, the City will pay the settlement and address the issue in a prompt fashion. There was no fine or violation by the U.S. Department of Labor to the City resulting from this review, as the DOL did not find willful intent not to pay earned overtime time,” Gage stated.
Hilarious! No willful intent? When all negotiations failed? When it was clearly pointed out to the City that it was wrong, yet it continued to hold to its impossible position? City taxpayers are lucky that no willful violation was found that would cost the City punitive fines and other costly sanctions.