TULSA, Okla. — The ransomware attack of 2021, that impacted the City of Tulsa right in the middle of the pandemic, is what’s been blamed for hundreds of Tulsa firefighters not receiving owed overtime during a several-month span.
13 firefighters filed a lawsuit, and eventually, 513 others joined the complaint. According to the settlement agreement, the city initially denied allegations and mediation attempts were unsuccessful. However, the city agreed to pay $1,060,000. 25 percent will go towards attorneys’ fees.
“I think all sides are glad we were able to come to a resolution,” said Matt Lay, Tulsa Firefighters IAFF Local 176 President.
Lay said the inaccurate pay went unnoticed by firefighters for a couple of months because paychecks for overtime come in differently for them—it isn’t always immediate.
To avoid problems like this in the future, the agreement also includes a required “working group” involving city officials and Tulsa firefighters. They are required to meet quarterly to address pay or scheduling problems, or complaints in general.
Other improvements have been made as a result of the overtime mishap, said Lay. Up until this lawsuit, the more than 700 firefighters used a paper system to keep track of overtime. It was then handed over to one payroll clerk on staff. They’ve since upgraded to an electronic system.
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