Commonly asked overtime pay law questions about EMTs:
- What is an EMT?
- What is the Salary Range for an EMT?
- How Many EMTs Are Nationally Employed?
- Where Are Most EMTs Employed?
- EMT Overtime Pay Lawsuit News
- Is an EMT Entitled to Overtime Pay?
- Can an EMT File an Unpaid Overtime Lawsuit?
- EMT Overtime Pay Lawyer Review
What is an EMT?
EMTs assess injuries, administer emergency medical care, and extricate trapped individuals. They also transport injured or sick persons to medical facilities.
What is the Salary Range for an EMT?
Depending on the work setting and state, the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) noted that in 2016, 80% of emergency medical technicians and paramedics made between $21,240 to $56,310, with the average annual salary being approximately $32,670.
How Many EMTs Are Nationally Employed?
According to the United States Department of Labor, employment estimate and mean wage estimates for emergency medical technicians and paramedics are as follows:
Employment | Employment RSE* | Mean Hourly Wage | Mean Annual Wage | Wage RSE |
244,960 | 1.2% | $17.36 | $36,110 | 0.7% |
*RSE: The relative standard error (RSE) is a measure of the reliability of a survey statistic. The smaller the relative standard error, the more precise the estimate.
According to the United States Department of Labor, the percentile wage estimates for an emergency medical technician and paramedic is as follows:
Percentile | 10% | 25% | 50% (Median) | 75% | 90% |
Hourly Wage | $10.21 | $12.43 | $15.71 | $20.53 | $27.07 |
Where Are Most EMTs Employed?
According to the United States Department of Labor, states with the highest employment level of emergency medical technicians and paramedics are as follows:
State | Employment | Employment Per Thousand Jobs | Location Quotient | Hourly Mean Wage | Annual Mean Wage |
Texas | 18,630 | 1,59 | 0.91 | $17.24 | $35,870 |
California | 18,110 | 1.13 | 0.65 | $18.16 | $37,770 |
New York | 14,740 | 1.62 | 0.93 | $19.78 | $41,140 |
Illinois | 12,610 | 2.14 | 1.22 | $20.12 | $41,840 |
Pennsylvania | 11,770 | 2,05 | 1.17 | $16.10 | $33,480 |
EMT Overtime Pay Lawsuit News
Related EMT Overtime Pay Lawsuit News
New Jersey Medical Transport Company Pays Back Workers to Settle Overtime Pay Violations
A New Jersey medical transport company recently agreed to a settlement with the U.S. Department of Labor to resolve claims that the company failed to pay dozens of workers for all their due wages, including overtime pay.
Kansas City EMTs File Unpaid Overtime Lawsuit After City Ignores Court Mandate
KANSAS CITY — A group of Kansas City EMTs is once again taking its fight to receive all due wages to court after filing a unpaid overtime lawsuit against the city to compel the municipality to comply with a 2014 court mandate.
Read All EMT News on Overtime Pay Cases and Settlements
Is an EMT Entitled to Overtime Pay?
Yes, according to the Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA), emergency medical technicians (EMT) are entitled to overtime pay. Overtime wages should equal one and one-half times their regular rate of pay. However, some states have also enacted overtime laws that regulate the number of hours an employee can work within 24 hours before receiving overtime. That is why, it is important to consult an experienced unpaid overtime lawsuit attorney about your possible case.
EMT’s often work far more than 40 hours in a workweek, but many of them are not paid overtime as required under the Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA). EMTs are often required to be “on call” all hours of a day and do not get paid for rest breaks and meal breaks, even though they are necessary and required part of the work day. They also often attend before work and after work meetings with supervisors and are not paid for that time. Additionally, many emergency medical technicians are not paid for the time changing into and out of clothes and equipment for each shift.
Can an EMT File an Unpaid Overtime Lawsuit?
Yes, an emergency medical technician (EMT) may be able to file an unpaid overtime lawsuit against their employer if they worked more than 40 hours in a single work week and were not paid for those hours.
In calculating the number of hours worked, the employer must consider all required work performed in all facilities and departments, both before and after a shift, including staff meetings and required paid training. If an employer does not include all of this time in the calculation of hours worked, it can result in the EMT not receiving all of the required overtime. The employer’s failure to pay required overtime to an EMT can result in a lawsuit for overtime pay. You deserve to get paid for your time spent working.
Some states have their own overtime pay laws that may be slightly different from the FLSA with respect to overtime pay for EMTs. An experienced overtime pay attorney can determine whether you are entitled to overtime wages based upon your job description, job duties, rate of pay, and number of hours worked. There are strict time deadlines for filing lawsuits so it is essential that you contact an attorney immediately.
To determine whether you are eligible for filing a wage claim, contact our experienced EMT overtime pay lawyers at (855) 754-2795 for a Free Consultation to discuss your case or complete the Free Unpaid Overtime Case Review Form on this page. We will discuss your situation and determine if you have a claim. If you are owed unpaid wages, we will represent you under our No Fee Promise, which means there are never any legal fees or costs unless you receive a settlement.