Operations personnel

Spring Fire Department - Working Hours and Pay

• All members must report on time and remain at their post until relieved.
• Employees working on paid annual holidays receive 1.5 times their regular rate of pay.
• Employees working overtime on a paid annual holiday receive 2.0 times their regular rate of pay.
• Full-time members work a 48-hour tour-of-duty, starting at 0600.
• Full-time members receive overtime pay for hours worked exceeding 212 hours in a 28-day period.
• Full-time members work on a 3-platoon system.
• Full-time benefits include health, dental, vision, a mandatory pension plan, paid time off, and sick leave.
• Full-time members can trade or substitute shifts with other full-time members.
• Part-time members work 12-hour blocks, starting at 0600.
• Part-time members are scheduled by the department scheduler to meet departmental needs.
• Part-time members do not receive health benefits, PTO, or sick leave.
• Part-time members are required to participate in the pension plan.

Sick Leave

• Sick leave is awarded at a rate of 144 hours on January 1st.
• New employees' sick leave is prorated on their first day of employment.
• Employees can accrue sick leave up to a maximum of 720 hours.
• Upon separation or retirement, employees are compensated for half of their unused sick leave, up to a maximum of 360 hours, provided notice and exit procedures have been followed.
• Involuntary terminations do not receive a sick leave payout.
• Compensation is based on the employee's current straight-time rate of pay.
• Employees calling out sick for longer than 48 hours must provide a physician's note.
• A physician's note may be requested for absences less than 48 hours due to illness or injury.
• Employees calling out sick on a paid annual holiday or any day touching a paid annual holiday must provide a physician's note.
• Employees calling out sick the tour immediately prior to or after scheduled PTO must provide a physician's note.
• Failure to present a required physician's note will result in no pay.
• Employees with an end-of-year balance of 720 sick hours receive a payout of 72 additional hours on the payday no later than January 20th.

Shift Trading

• Shift trades are allowed for employees unable to take PTO but have another firefighter willing to trade workdays.
• Shift trades must be approved by District Chiefs of both affected shifts.
• Shift trades may be rescinded at any time with a reasonable explanation.
• Shift trades must be repaid in the same calendar year.
• The firefighter working for the firefighter requesting a trade is not counted towards hours worked for FLSA overtime purposes.
• Shift trades should be tracked on the master PTO calendar and documented in scheduling software.
• If trading becomes excessive or disruptive, shift trades will no longer be allowed.
• The individual assumes responsibility for ensuring they show up for the traded shift or covering the shift if they become unavailable.
• Employees who trade shifts and call out sick must use their PTO hours for the traded shift.
• Personnel can trade outside their respective rank as long as minimum staffing levels are met.

Shift Substitution

• Substitutions must be “made freely and without coercion, direct or implied.”
• Voluntary substitutions are ignored for purposes of calculating hours worked.
• Substitutions must be approved by District Chiefs of both affected shifts.
• Substitutions may be rescinded at any time with a reasonable explanation.
• The firefighter working for the firefighter requesting a substitution is not counted towards hours worked for FLSA overtime purposes.
• Substitutions should be tracked on the master PTO calendar and documented in scheduling software.
• If substitutions become disruptive, they will no longer be allowed.

Part-Time Employees

• Part-time employees' normal work period begins at 0600 hours and ends at 1800 hours.
• Firefighting-EMT positions are 207K exempt for purposes of Federal Wage-Hour Laws.
• Part-time employees are eligible for overtime pay for hours exceeding 212 hours in a 28-day work period.
• Part-time employees' payroll period coincides with the existing payroll period.
• Part-time employees are scheduled by the department scheduler.
• Part-time employees are assigned to a station or apparatus best suited to the department's needs.
• Part-time employee shifts may be modified to meet departmental needs.
• Enrollment in the pension plan is mandatory for part-time employees.
• Employer contributions to the pension can be changed at any time with notice to the employee.
• Part-time employees are not offered PTO.
• Part-time employees must not put in availability for days they need time off, as this could result in being scheduled for that day.

This quiz covers the employment policies of the Spring Fire Department, including working hours, pay rates, and benefits for both full-time and part-time members. It also discusses shift trading and compensation during holidays. Test your knowledge on the specific policies and regulations in place for department members.