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Layoff's Veterans preference
Preference in layoffs: Where a layoff is necessitated in a covered position, similar preferences must be given to the covered employee in the retention process. 295.07, Florida Statutes.
My department recently laid off 36 firefighters. I have been researching the statute above which over rides the contract for layoff's. Initially no preference was given. I brought this to the attention of my cheif and any veteran affected got their job back. Now we are in the process of defining what preference we are going to give. The VA representitive stated that preference has to be measurable, meaning comparable to what other departments are doing. Orlando is giving 365 days of seniority for veterans preference for lay off retention. Does anyone know of other departments that have a policy in place? If so what department and what preference is given?
My department recently laid off 36 firefighters. I have been researching the statute above which over rides the contract for layoff's. Initially no preference was given. I brought this to the attention of my cheif and any veteran affected got their job back. Now we are in the process of defining what preference we are going to give. The VA representitive stated that preference has to be measurable, meaning comparable to what other departments are doing. Orlando is giving 365 days of seniority for veterans preference for lay off retention. Does anyone know of other departments that have a policy in place? If so what department and what preference is given?
Replies to This Discussion
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Permalink Reply by Lou Sclafani on
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It's been so long since layoffs were a concern I doubt hardly any departments even knew about this staute or it's implication. I never would have thought about the VA prefernce in this regard.
My city has had a layoff policy on the books citywide for years. Many of us have read the policy over the years and never really studied it because we never really thought we would have to deal with it.
When it became obvious in my city that cuts were coming the HR department decided to look at it and guess what. They decided the whole thing needed to be redone. Included a review by the labor attorney.
Basically it's reverse seniority by department. If someone gets cut but used to work in another city department they can go back to that department and bump a junior person there down etc.
Inside each department it is further broken down by job. So it's possible a department could skip over the most junior person (say a medic) and cut a more senior person (say an EMT) if we dont have the minimum number of medics we are supposed to have.
Luckily we saw it coming and planned for it. We made our cuts through attrition. Haven't hired anyone new in 2 years. At least we didn't have to lay off, other than a single part time pub ed specialist. -
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