Two City employees to receive back pay for overtime

HIGH SPRINGS – The City of High Springs will soon be making payments to two staffers for unpaid overtime compensation.

The city clerk and former police department administrative assistant are entitled to be reimbursed for their overtime hours according to a 23-page report submitted by Reynaldo Velazquez of FordHarrison, a national labor and employment law firm. Velazquez, a specialist in the Fair Labor Standards Act of 1938, was asked by the City to conduct an investigation to determine which employees were exempt from overtime pay and which were not.

As examples, City Attorney Scott Walker said the city manager, police chief and fire chief were not entitled to overtime pay because of their salary level and the number of people they were supervising. However, he found that the city clerk and the former administrative assistant were entitled to overtime pay.

Walker explained the finding was a two-step process, the first of which was Velazquez’ staff investigation and report detailing the law regarding exempt and non-exempt status. The second step pursuant to Florida law is to determine what compensation is due the two employees and what the statute of limitations is regarding how far back the process must start. Once an individual is determined to be due reimbursement under the act, the amount is non-negotiable according to Walker.

“At that point, we should have the matter settled,” he said.

The City Commission unanimously approved payment of $6,593.50 for the second and third invoice submitted by FordHarrison for the report. Previously, the City paid an invoice of $1,703, bringing the total to $8,296.50.

High Springs City Manager Ed Booth said the City has received the formula required to determine how to calculate the overtime payments, but has not arrived at the final figure. It is expected that figure will be available in the coming weeks

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