Opinion ID: 1698641
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 4

Heading: Longevity Pay Increases

Text: La.Rev.Stat. 33:1992A [6] establishes a minimum monthly salary for firemen of $400, and Section 1992B [7] mandates that every fireman with three years of continuous service shall receive a two percent salary increase for each year of additional service up to twenty years. On the other hand, Commission Rule IV, § 8.1 [8] provides for salary increases for employees, with over one year of service, of two and one-half percent approximately every five years. Thus, the Rule's longevity pay increases are less frequent than statutorily required, resulting in most cases in a lesser actual salary than if the statutory increases were implemented. [9] The City contends that the statutory scheme, providing for a minimum salary and longevity increases, must be viewed as a whole. The City argues that the Firefighters receive a base salary greatly in excess of $400, and that the base salary plus the longevity increases provided in the Rule compensate the Firefighters well above the minimum level required by law. Rule IV, § 8.1 clearly violates La.Rev. Stat. 33:1992B, which by its terms is applicable to each member of the fire department and not only to those who are paid the statutory minimum salary. The City simply chose to disregard the statute that clearly mandates the amount and frequency of longevity pay increases for all firemen, and to justify this conduct on the basis that the City pays higher than minimum base salaries. This court cannot allow the statute to be disregarded, and the City's recourse rests with the Legislature.