In October of 2006, NFFE Local 273, representing employees at various commands at Ft. Sill, filed a grievance against the Army on behalf of all bargaining unit employees. The Grievance alleged violations of the Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA) and Title V (FEPA), among other violations.
The Law Offices of Snider and Associates, as the legal representatives for the Union, are working hard for the bargaining unit employees to ensure that their rights under federal law are upheld. As part of the process, we have contacted Ft. Sill employees about their job duties and how much unpaid overtime they have worked.
The Agency disputed that the Union’s Grievance was viable and Arbitrator Don Hays was selected to resolve the dispute. In a ruling in March of 2010, Arbitrator Hays ruled that the Union’s Grievance was viable, effective June of 2007. The Union and Agency agreed on settlement terms for IMCOM and FORSCOM in the summer of 2013, and arbitration hearings on the merits with regard to MEDCOM began in October of 2013 before Arbitrator Hays. These are ongoing; the Union has completed its case, and the Agency is calling its witnesses. Arbitrator Hays will issue a final decision when the hearing is completed.
The purpose of the arbitration is to recover damages for the Union on behalf of bargaining unit employees. Employees covered by the FLSA may be entitled to compensation for suffered or permitted overtime, and employees covered by FEPA may be entitled to pay for work that was ordered or induced to be performed but not paid properly. Additionally, there are damages which flow from the Agency’s failure to properly designate certain employees as FLSA non-exempt.
All bargaining unit employees, whether or not they are members of the union, and regardless of position or pay grade, are covered by this grievance and could potentially benefit from a successful result.