The city has suspended an improper practice at the Fire Department involving calculations of unused sick time and payment for that time to firefighters, according to Mayor Joseph J. Solomon.
“Activities that may have occurred in the past, when brought to the attention of our fire chief and myself, were suspended way back in July,” Solomon said.
The situation involved an agreement that was improperly implemented, and the city’s suspension of the practice triggered a grievance, Solomon said.
He would not provide more specifics, saying that the issue is now a legal matter, subject to arbitration, and he is also waiting for reports from auditors.
A spokesman for the firefighters union, Michael Carreiro, said the firefighters filed a grievance after Solomon halted a monthly credit that firefighters received for unused sick time, based on a “side agreement” with the previous administration of Mayor Scott Avedisian.