As Hermosa Beach moves toward contracting with the Los Angeles County Fire Department for firefighting services, 13 firefighters have sued the city over how their regular and overtime compensation has been calculated, it was announced today.
The suit filed in federal district court alleges the city has violated the Fair Labor Standards Act and seeks not only the compensation the firefighters say they deserve but double damages spanning three years as a penalty, plus interest and attorneys fees, according to Katie Casey, Hermosa Beach's public information officer.
"I am extremely disappointed by the way our firefighters have handled this concern with their compensation," Hermosa Beach Mayor Jeff Duclos said in response to the lawsuit, which he said the city had just been made aware of.