The St. Paul fire chief recently suspended a captain for five days, saying he “engaged in fraudulent and deceptive conduct related to requests and use of sick leave with pay.” The city said Mike Hamburger’s use of sick time cost it $14,000. The figure doesn’t include the cost of having firefighters fill the open posts, which is frequently at overtime rates.
“These are disturbing allegations that, if true, may have cost St. Paul taxpayers tens of thousands of dollars in stolen wages,” Mayor Chris Coleman said in a statement this week.