OT cap loosened for Bravest though budget will stay same
The FDNY loosened the overtime cap for its firefighters on Friday, allowing them to work more hours than previously allowed, the Daily News has learned.
Fire Commissioner Laura Kavanagh and her staff chiefs collaborated on the overtime change, even as an ongoing demotion dispute between her and her chiefs has led to a fierce court battle.
“This was solely done at the chief level and the commissioner level and they decided to address it together,” a source with knowledge of the decision said.
The hourly caps for overtime vary with each FDNY battalion. It’s estimated that firefighters could be allowed to accrue up to 50 additional overtime hours per year with the change, the official said.
The decision was made “in the interest of health and safety for our members,” an FDNY spokesman said.
The new rule will give more hours to those who want to work them, but have been “redlined” out of eligibility for overtime by the cap, FDNY officials said.
It will also stop the department from forcing more hours on employees whose co-workers have reached their overtime limits.
A FDNY insider said the forced overtime hurt rank-and-file firefighters.
“As you are forced to work so much, you get more debilitated and then you get hurt on the job, so more more spots open up for forced overtime,” the insider said. “It was becoming a vicious cycle.”
The amount of money set aside for overtime in the FDNY’s budget will not change, so the hours will still be carefully scrutinized by supervisors, FDNY officials said.
This change doesn’t affect FDNY emergency medical technicians and paramedics, who have a different overtime set up within the department, officials said.
The Uniformed Firefighters Association hailed the lifting of the cap, although the union would like to see the cap disappear entirely.
“Everyone has a different family situation, but half of my members are single and have no children, so they’re more than willing to work,” UFA President Andrew Ansbro said Friday.