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Monday, May 12, 2008

ACADIANA

Employees want $18.6 million in pay flap

Plaintiffs’ request filed in long-running Lafayette lawsuit
  • By RICHARD BURGESS
  • Advocate Acadiana bureau
  • Published: May 3, 2008 - Page: 1BA - UPDATED: 12:05 a.m.

LAFAYETTE — Firefighters, police and city marshals are seeking a nearly $19 million judgment against city-parish government in a long-fought lawsuit over back wages.

A court-appointed accountant set the total amount owed at $12.4 million, but the emergency workers have disputed that as too low.

The workers have now asked for $11.4 million in wages, overtime and retirement plus another $7.2 million in interest on the back wages, according to court filings this week.

City-parish government and the emergency workers have been arguing for months about what the price tag should be, and 15th Judicial District Judge Ed Rubin is expected to enter a judgment against the city on Wednesday if no settlement is reached before then.

Meanwhile, city-parish government is considering an offer from the emergency workers to settle the case out of court for $8.2 million — a counter to the city’s most recent offer of $6.8 million.

Attorney Daniel Landry, who is representing the emergency workers, said that negotiations are held up over questions of how long the city would have to pay the settlement.

“We are close, but we are not there,” he said.

The payout would be shared by some 600 police, firefighters and city marshals who are plaintiffs in the lawsuit.

The haggling over what the city owes comes more than four years after Rubin ruled in 2003 that the city’s old pay plan for emergency workers violated state law, a decision that has been upheld on appeal.

The issue is state supplemental pay, a monetary stipend from the state to boost the salaries paid by local government to emergency workers.

Under the old pay plan, the city paid extra money to new employees until the state supplemental pay began, generally after a year.

The city has said those payments were an incentive to boost starting pay, but state law prohibits local governments from reducing their salary payments when supplemental pay starts.

The requirement is meant to ensure the supplement is used to boost salaries rather that subsidize the payrolls of local governments.


Comments (3)
Steele
Saturday, May 03, 2008
3:09 PM

I began my career with the Lafayette Police Department in 1985 - having come to the PD as an already trained and qualified officer. I was already recieving State Supplemental Pay independant of the City of Lafayette. The City of Lafayette immediately reduced my pay and continued to do so every time my State Supplemental pay was raised (in those days there were steps or levels achieved via longevity). When I was hired, I was not really told of this practice until after I had already moved to Lafayette and was working. I did not believe it was right, but still wanted to work for one of the finest police departments in the State. I may be a plaintiff in this current litigation - I don't know - I left in 1996 for greener pastures. If I am, the City can disribute any funds owed to me to my brother/sister officers still there to compensate them for their loss. There should be no disagreement about these funds. Lafayette is blessed with an outstanding Police Department and should not hesitate to pay these fine officers what they are due. Remember, Lafayette, these people risk their life for you day in and day out, and are willing to die to protect you, and you are arguing over a measly few million? Shame on City/Parish government for not resolving this matter before now. Steele Viccellio
cop4lafayette
Saturday, May 03, 2008
9:05 PM

I am a Lafayette Police Officer, have been for the past 10 years. It is a shame that the Advocate prints such stories for Baton Rouge residents,however the local paper has ignored the topic for several weeks when the so called "final" court date is drawing near. Bottom line, Lafayette continues to experience much growth and the PD has failed to keep up with such growth. Yeah the starting pay was raised in order to attract new officers, however this lawsuit has been hurting the veteran officers for almost a decade. We, like any law enforcement agency, are sworn to uphold the law and abide by it. Its a shame when our own employer doesnt do just that.
Iknowthetruth6
Sunday, May 04, 2008
8:51 AM

We were employed with the Laf. City Pol. in the early and mid 80s and were explained how the pay plan worked prior to accepting the job. After the first year, when the state picked up supplemental pay, the city cut back the supp. pay they'd been "fronting" us. Never thought a thing about it. That's how we accepted the job, knowing it was going to happen. THEN someone stumbled up a "loophole" and officers were tripping over one another trying to sign up to screw the City of Lafayette. We could have participated in that lawsuit also, but you just don't do something because you can, not it it goes agains your integrity. And that's how I feel about officers participating in this: their integrity is in question. I just don't believe more than a very few officers didn't know exactly what was going on and those who didn't, well, I question their intelligence in understanding, because I just don't doubt they were told. This is a "cash cow" they stubled upon and they're still trying to screw the system by insisiting on an absurd amout........
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