Commonly asked overtime pay law questions about firefighters:
- What Is a Firefighter?
- What is the Salary Range for a Firefighter?
- How Many Firefighters Are Nationally Employed?
- Where Are Most Firefighters Employed?
- Firefighter Overtime Pay Lawsuit News
- What are the Laws for Firefighter Overtime Pay?
- What is the Overtime Rate for Firefighters?
- Can a Firefighter File a Class Action Unpaid Overtime Lawsuit?
- Firefighter Overtime Pay Lawyer Review
What Is a Firefighter?
Firefighters control and extinguish fires or respond to emergency situations where life, property, or the environment is at risk. Duties may include fire prevention, emergency medical service, hazardous material response, search and rescue, and disaster assistance.
What is the Salary Range for a Firefighter?
Depending on the work setting and state, the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) noted that in 2016, 80% of firefighters made between $23,700 to $81,110, with the average annual salary being approximately $48,030.
How Many Firefighters Are Nationally Employed?
According to the United States Department of Labor, employment estimate and mean wage estimates for firefighters are as follows:
| Employment | Employment RSE* | Mean Hourly Wage | Mean Annual Wage | Wage RSE |
| 315,910 | 0.8% | $24.29 | $50,520 | 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 a firefighter is as follows:
| Percentile | 10% | 25% | 50% (Median) | 75% | 90% |
| Hourly Wage | $11.39 | $15.71 | $23.09 | $31.19 | $38.99 |
Where Are Most Firefighters Employed?
According to the United States Department of Labor, states with the highest employment level of firefighters are as follows:
| State | Employment | Employment Per Thousand Jobs | Location Quotient | Hourly Mean Wage | Annual Mean Wage |
| California | 30,040 | 1.88 | 0.84 | $34.52 | $71,790 |
| Texas | 27,870 | 2.37 | 1.05 | $24.63 | $51,230 |
| Florida | 24,250 | 2.95 | 1.31 | $24.41 | $50,780 |
| Ohio | 18,810 | 3.52 | 1.57 | $21.62 | $44,970 |
| Illinois | 17,170 | 2,91 | 1.29 | $26.66 | $55,460 |
Firefighter Overtime Pay Lawsuit News
Related Firefighter Overtime Pay Lawsuit News
California Judge Approves Settlement for Firefighters in Overtime Pay Lawsuit
A California judge recently approved a settlement between firefighters and the city of Modesto, finally bringing an end to an almost two-year unpaid overtime lawsuit that will compensate the emergency responders for all their hard work.
California Firefighters File Class Action Unpaid Overtime Lawsuit Against Department
A group of Hermosa Beach, California firefighters recently filed a class action unpaid overtime lawsuit against the department over allegations that the city failed to properly calculate overtime pay for the plaintiffs over the past three years.
City of Providence Agrees to Multi-Million Dollar Settlement with Firefighters for Years of Unpaid Overtime
The city of Providence, Rhode Island recently agreed to a $5.9 million settlement to resolve claims with hundreds of municipal firefighters over allegations that the city failed to properly compensate the crews for a tumultuous period of department restructuring and disagreements over collective bargaining agreements.
Rhode Island Firefighters Settle Unpaid Overtime Lawsuit With Fire District
PROVIDENCE — A group of Rhode Island firefighters secured a settlement to resolve an unpaid overtime lawsuit filed against the Lonsdale Fire board over allegations they failed to pay emergency responders for their hours.
Former South Carolina Firefighters File Unpaid Overtime Lawsuit for $1.4 Million in Back Wages
COLUMBIA — A group of former firefighters for the York, Fire Department filed an unpaid overtime lawsuit, claiming the city owes $1.4 million in back overtime pay with interest, penalties, and attorneys fees.
Read All Firefighter News on Overtime Pay Cases and Settlements
What are the Laws for Firefighter Overtime Pay?
The overtime laws for firefighters under the FLSA is that employers must pay its nonexempt firefighters overtime. However, some states may have their own overtime pay laws that may be slightly different from the FLSA with respect to overtime pay for firefighters.
If you believe you have been denied overtime pay benefits it is extremely important that you talk to an experienced overtime pay attorney to learn your rights. An experienced overtime pay attorney can help determine whether you are entitled to overtime wages based upon your job description, job duties, rate of pay, and number of hours worked.
What is the Overtime Rate for Firefighters?
The overtime rate for firefighters that are non-exempt is one and one-half their regular rate of pay. How do you know if you are exempt or not? Determination is through the Fair Labor Standards Act. Additionally, some states may have their own overtime pay laws that may be slightly different from the FLSA with respect to overtime pay for firefighters.
Therefore, if you are working overtime hours as a firefighter and not receiving pay for your time or you believe the rate of pay is much less than what you should be receiving, contact our top rated attorneys today to discuss your case and determine if you are eligible to receive these wages, and if so how much should your rate of pay be.
Our firefighter overtime pay attorneys will be able to determine whether you are entitled by investigating further into your job description, job duties, rate of pay, and number of hours worked.
Can a Firefighter File a Class Action Unpaid Overtime Lawsuit?
Yes, a firefighter can file a class action unpaid overtime lawsuit. In fact, there have been numerous FLSA class action lawsuits filed to insure firefighters are paid what they are owed. These claims are filed by the entire group and provide each employee with more strength in numbers to fight against a large business and their high paid legal team. An employee can also join an existing class action lawsuit if it has already been filed for unpaid overtime pay.
At our award winning law firm, our lawyers represent clients who have been denied unpaid overtime in class action firefighter unpaid overtime lawsuits and independent claims. Depending on your situation, a class action lawsuit can be detrimental and filing an individual claim may be more beneficial.
There are strict time limitations for filing a claim so it is important that you discuss your case in a timely manner. If you wait too long, you may lose your ability to recover some or all of your back pay. An experienced firefighter 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.
Some states have their own overtime pay laws that may be slightly different from the FLSA with respect to overtime pay for firefighters. 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 firefighter 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.
Firefighter Overtime Pay Lawyer Review
