Ambulance Service Violated Federal Law by Not Paying Employees for Sleep Time
After a rigorous investigation by the U.S. Department of Labor’s Wage and Hour Divisions, the Jefferson Hills Area Ambulance Association—which is a private service performing as the Southeast Regional EMS in Clairton and Elizabeth, Pennsylvania—was ordered to pay $35,492 in earned back wages to 12 first responders for violating the Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA) overtime requirements.
Wage and Hour Division investigators found that Jefferson Hills Area Ambulance Association violated an FLSA provision which permits employers to subtract 8 hours of sleep time in relation to employees who have duties which require 24-hour shifts, but only under certain conditions. This exclusion, under Federal Law, only applies if an employer provides sufficient sleeping amenities and grants employees the adequate 8-hour sleep period while preventing interruptions.
In the present case, the conditions for the exclusion were not met because the employer failed to provide a considerable number of employees the required sleep period due to consistent interruptions. Consequently, the employer was ordered to pay $25,545 to eight employees at the Clairton location and $9,947 to four employees at the Elizabeth location in back wages.
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If you believe your employer has failed to pay you wages and overtime for all hours worked, which may include sleep time, call Carey & Stewart Attorneys At Law now at 304-914-3577 to schedule a free and confidential consultation. You can also contact us online. We can help you get all the wages you earned.