Two West Hawaii battalion chiefs who said they were stripped of their badges after they publicly criticized their boss failed in their appeal for lost overtime pay and benefits.
The Merit Appeals Board last week unanimously ruled Hawaii Fire Department battalion chiefs Ty Medeiros and Steve Loyola were not due overtime and vacation pay after being put on paid leave in late 2014.
Fire Chief Darryl Rosario placed them on leave and physically stripped their uniforms of badges and rank insignia, actions the board agreed were administrative and not disciplinary. The two longtime firefighters, who had consistently received satisfactory performance evaluations, said they were humiliated by the chief’s actions.
Although the board found that the fire chief and the county did not violate any rules, policies or procedures, some members were concerned about the department’s communication policies, within the department and to outside entities.
Hilo attorney Ted Hong, representing the battalion chiefs, said after the ruling that he intends to take the matter to court.
“This was a difficult case for the board to consider. It involved four full days of testimony and thousands of pages of documents,” Hong said. “The issues the board was facing have never been addressed by the county before. I think the board tried their best to navigate this difficult case.”
The battalion chiefs were investigated after they wrote letters to the Fire Commission and the mayor criticizing the chief. Loyola, a 25-year employee, has since retired.