Atlanta firefighter battles city over unpaid wages, promised back pay
ATLANTA - An Atlanta firefighter expressed his frustration Wednesday over what he says is the city’s failure to properly compensate him for his service. The firefighter, Shomari Owens, claims he is still owed thousands of dollars in back pay despite the city’s promises to resolve the issue.
"For five years, I've done the job, risked my life, put it on the line, run into burning buildings, done a whole bunch of things, and I have not been paid," Owens said.
Owens, who has worked as a firefighter for the city of Atlanta, stated that he was asked to assume the role of a sergeant five years ago. However, he claims he only received pay commensurate with a firefighter's salary and is still owed a substantial amount in back pay. Owens said he documented the issue and filed a formal grievance.
"I filed a grievance, which is the highest form in our department. I filed a grievance, and it went all the way up to the fire chief and came back from the fire chief with Mayor Dickens’ name on it, his letterhead, and it said I would be paid in exactly 60 days, and that was a year and a half ago," Owens explained.
The Atlanta Firefighters Union has acknowledged the issue, noting that this problem of working in a higher classification without corresponding pay has been a recurring issue within the department for decades.
"We, the IFF, want to sit down at the table with the city and fix this ordinance so it aligns with the AFRD policy and also fix many ordinances because Shomari is not the only one," said Nate Bailey, president of the Atlanta Professional Firefighters Union.
A city of Atlanta official responded to the allegations, stating, "The City of Atlanta takes the fair compensation of all members of the Atlanta Fire Rescue Department very seriously. The City’s current compensation schedule utilized for firefighters follows the mandated guidelines of the Fair Labor Standards Act. We encourage members of AFRD to utilize the current system to resolve all payroll discrepancies, including compensation for working out of class."
The official added that the city is committed to addressing all discrepancies equitably and in a timely manner.
Owens, like others in the department, continues to seek resolution for the unpaid wages as the situation remains unresolved.