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<p class="MsoNormal" align="center" style="text-align:center"><b><span style="font-size:16.0pt"><img width="229" height="74" id="Picture_x0020_1" src="cid:image001.png@01CF6AAC.105B45D0" alt="cid:image002.png@01CF6A9F.682456B0"></span><o:p></o:p></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b><o:p> </o:p></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">For Immediate Release<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b>May 8, 2014<o:p></o:p></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">CONTACT: Charlie Burr, (971) 673-0788<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-autospace:none"><o:p> </o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" align="center" style="text-align:center"><b><span style="font-size:16.0pt">BOLI prevails in overtime case that directs $100,000 to firefighters<o:p></o:p></span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" align="center" style="text-align:center;text-autospace:none">
<i><span style="color:black">Avakian praises Oregon Court of Appeals decision as a victory for public safety workers
</span></i><i><span style="font-size:12.0pt;color:black"><o:p></o:p></span></i></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b><span style="color:black"><o:p> </o:p></span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b><span style="color:black">Portland, OR</span></b><span style="color:black">—Labor Commissioner Brad Avakian today praised an Oregon Court of Appeals victory for the agency that will result in the payment of more than $100,000 in back
wages and overtime for firefighters working in Grants Pass.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="color:black"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="color:black">Yesterday’s Court of Appeals decision affirms an earlier declaratory ruling from Labor Commissioner Brad Avakian concerning how the city of Grants Pass must compensate city firefighters. The Court of Appeals decision
can be found <a href="http://www.publications.ojd.state.or.us/docs/A150721.pdf">
here</a>. <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="color:black"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="color:black">In June 2011, the International Association of Fire Fighters, Local 3564 (IAFF) petitioned the Bureau of Labor and Industries (BOLI) for a ruling about whether the city of Grants Pass must include authorized vacation
and sick leave time when calculating the overtime wages of its members. <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="color:black"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="color:black">Commissioner Avakian concurred with IAFF that enactment of the Public Employees Collective Bargaining Act (PECBA) did not create a collective bargaining exception to the overtime requirements of ORS 652.070. This
week’s ruling affirms BOLI’s interpretation of Oregon law and rejects the “novel theory” argued by the city of Grants Pass.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="color:black"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b><span style="color:black">“This decision is a significant victory for the workers and firefighters that keep our communities safe</span></b><span style="color:black">,” said Labor Commissioner Avakian.
<b>“The ruling will help ensure that those who protect life and property will be fairly compensated for their critical work.”
<o:p></o:p></b></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="color:black"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="color:black">The Oregon Department of Justice represented BOLI in the case, along with the Tedesco Law Group arguing for IAFF. The city of Grants Pass will have 35 days to petition the Oregon Supreme Court or begin directing
deferred overtime payments to the affected firefighters.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="color:black"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="color:black">For more information about BOLI’s efforts to protect Oregon employees and support Oregon employers, please visit
<a href="http://www.oregon.gov/BOLI">http://www.oregon.gov/BOLI</a>. A copy of the original BOLI declaratory ruling can be found
<a href="http://www.oregon.gov/boli/legal/docs/fopdffiles/2012_fos/iaff_firefighters_declaratory_ruling.pdf">
here</a>. <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;color:black"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" align="center" style="text-align:center"><span style="color:black">###<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Charlie Burr<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Communications Director<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Bureau of Labor and Industries<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">800 NE Oregon St., Ste. 1045<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Portland, OR 97232-2180<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">(971) 673-0788 wk.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">(503) 913-5407 cell.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p>
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