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HFD quarantine pay cut?
Some Houston firefighters claim their pay was cut during quarantine, while the HFD chief denies it.
HOUSTON - As the pandemic lingers on in America's fourth-largest metropolis, another serious grievance has emerged between Houston's rank and file firefighters and the city government they serve.
Captain Iris Rodriguez is one of more than 1,300 firefighters forced into COVID-19 quarantine because of constant hazardous contact with the public.
Rodriguez thought she was being paid for the mandatory time off, but despite filing the proper paperwork, discovered a huge hole in her paycheck.
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After two months back on the job, she still hasn't recovered the missing wages.
"I couldn't pay my mortgage payment for a month and that was devastating when you get caught off guard that way," said Rodriguez.
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Union President Marty Lancton says other firefighters denied workers compensation claims after quarantine have also seen their city pay docked during time-off.
"Most of our firefighters are living paycheck to paycheck," said Lancton.
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In response, Houston Fire Chief Sam Pena fiercely objected to the suggestion first responders are getting short-changed.
He told FOX 26, "When these errors are discovered they are corrected through the collaborative efforts of HFD Infectious Control, Classified Payroll and HR. Neither the COH administration nor the Command Staff at HFD, have put any directives in place to deduct time from any employees benefit leave or dock pay due to COVID-19 exposure."
Union President Lancton says he's willing to accept that claim as long as his firefighters and paramedics get the wages they've risked much for.
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"If he's claiming it's not a policy issue, it appears to be a competency issue."
The situation has been exacerbated by fruitless contract negotiations which have left Houston firefighters without a significant raise for more than a decade.