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Board approves revised firefighters/EMT terms: 48-hour workweek, adjusted PTO and holiday pay rules
Summary
The Board of Selectmen unanimously approved an update to the town employee handbook addendum for firefighters/EMTs that formalizes a 48-hour workweek under the FLSA exemption, adds roughly 20 hours of paid time off to match increased weekly hours, and clarifies holiday pay rules for full-time and per-diem staff.
The Hebron Board of Selectmen on July 10 approved updates to the firefighters/EMT terms and conditions addendum to the town personnel handbook, adopting changes recommended by the fire chief and the town labor attorney.
What changed: The revised addendum incorporates the Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA) exemption language that allows full-time firefighters to work a 48-hour workweek without overtime pay under the exemption for fire personnel. The town also adjusted paid-time-off (PTO) accruals to reflect the higher standard workweek; the change equated to about 20 additional hours of PTO annually for full-time staff, per the chief’s presentation. Finally, the addendum clarified holiday pay: previously the department recognized four paid holidays (New Year’s Day, Independence Day, Thanksgiving and Christmas); the revised language addresses pay for per-diem staff who work those holidays and specifies pay at time-and-a-half for those per-diem shifts.
Why the board acted: Department scheduling and staffing realities prompted the update, the fire chief told the board. The changes were negotiated with or reviewed by town labor counsel, and the addendum is intended to align the department’s operating hours and leave accruals with longstanding fire-service practice and legal exemptions.
Vote and effective date: The board approved the revised addendum unanimously. Town staff said they prefer an effective date as soon as administratively practical; the fire chief said the town will try to apply changes as of Aug. 1 if operationally feasible but commonly sets personnel changes to the fiscal-year cycle (July 1) when possible.
Follow-up: Human-resources and finance staff will apply the PTO and holiday-pay changes in payroll and ensure per-diem and full-time staff understand the revised terms. The board did not amend the addendum at the meeting.
