Opinion ID: 3033332
Heading Depth: 3
Heading Rank: 1

Heading: Regulatory Interpretation of the FLSA

Text: At the time that Plaintiffs filed their complaint, the FLSA did not define an “employee in . . . fire protection activity.” Guidance for defining this term came from Department of Labor (“DOL”) regulations, available in the Code of Federal Regulations. See 29 C.F.R. § 553. Section 553.210 provides a four-part test for determining whether an employee is engaged in a “fire protection activity.” 29 C.F.R. § 553.210(a).4 The last full sentence of this regulation specifically includes ambulance and rescue service workers who form an “integral part” of an agency’s fire protection activities. This sentence 4 Section 553.210(a) states in pertinent part: As used in [§ 207(k)], the term “any employee . . . in fire protection activities” refers to any employee (1) who is employed by an organized fire department or fire protection district; (2) who has been trained to the extent required by State statute or local ordinance; (3) who has the legal authority and responsibility to engage in the prevention, control or extinguishment of a fire of any type; and (4) who performs activities which are required for, and directly concerned with, the prevention, control or extinguishment of fires, including such incidental non-firefighting functions as housekeeping, equipment maintenance, lecturing, attending community fire drills and inspecting homes and schools for fire hazards. The term would include all such employees, regardless of their status as “trainee,” “probationary,” or “permanent,” or of their particular specialty or job title . . . . The term would also include rescue and ambulance service personnel if such personnel form an integral part of the public agency’s fire protection activities. See § 553.215. 29 C.F.R. § 553.210(a) (emphasis added). CLEVELAND v. CITY OF LOS ANGELES 11107 is followed by an explicit cross-reference to 29 C.F.R. § 553.215. According to § 553.215, ambulance and rescue service employees “of a public agency other than a fire protection or law enforcement agency may be treated as employees engaged in fire protection” if they are “regularly dispatched to fires, crime scenes, riots, natural disasters and accidents.” 29 C.F.R. § 553.215(a) (emphasis added).5 Section 553.212 provides that someone who spends more than twenty percent of his or her working time engaged in nonexempt activities (activities not related to fire suppression) may not be considered an “employee engaged in fire protection.” 29 C.F.R. § 553.212(a).6 5 Section 553.215(a) states in pertinent part: Ambulance and rescue service employees of a public agency other than a fire protection or law enforcement agency may be treated as employees engaged in fire protection or law enforcement activities of the type contemplated by [§ 207(k)] if their services are substantially related to firefighting or law enforcement activities in that (1) the ambulance and rescue service employees have received training in the rescue of fire, crime, and accident victims or firefighters or law enforcement personnel injured in the performance of their respective, duties, and (2) the ambulance and rescue service employees are regularly dispatched to fires, crime scenes, riots, natural disasters and accidents. As provided in § 553.213(b), where employees perform both fire protection and law enforcement activities, the applicable standard is the one which applies to the activity in which the employee spends the majority of work time during the work period. 29 C.F.R. § 553.215(a) (emphasis added). 6 Section 553.212(a) states in pertinent part: Employees engaged in fire protection . . . activities as described in § 553.210 . . . may also engage in some nonexempt work which is not performed as an incident to or in conjunction with their fire protection or law enforcement activities . . . . The performance of such nonexempt work will not defeat [the § 207(k)] exemption unless it exceeds 20 percent of the total hours worked by that employee during the workweek or applicable work period. A person who spends more than 20 percent of his/her working time in nonexempt activities is not considered to be an employee engaged in fire protection or law enforcement activities for purposes of this part. 29 C.F.R. § 553.212(a) (emphasis added). 11108 CLEVELAND v. CITY OF LOS ANGELES