Previous coverage of this story
Ten-days-ago one of the big local news stories in the Nation's Capital was the pregnancy light duty/leave policy for the DC Fire & EMS Department. Here is how WUSA9.com described it:
Female firefighters in the District used to be able to switch to a desk job during their pregnancy. But under a new policy, they're forced to use their own sick leave. It means some female D.C. firefighters have no money coming in months before their due date. They also don't have any maternity leave after they give birth.
Andrea Noble of The Washington Times is reporting that Chief Kenneth Ellerbe told her on Wednesday that "he is mulling a change in policy that would offer 90 days rather than 30 days of limited-duty assignments to all sick, injured or pregnant firefighters and paramedics."
At the same time the chief is mulling that over a department press release was issued saying the chief would announce changes:
At 11:00 a.m., on Thursday, June 30, the District of Columbia’s Chief of Fire and Emergency Medical Services (F&EMS), Kenneth B. Ellerbe, will outline key changes to the department’s limited leave policy for representatives of the local media at a press briefing that will be held at the Fire and EMS headquarters building, located at 1923 Vermont Ave., NW.
Chief Ellerbe will be available to discuss the current policy and what the changes will mean for all members of his Fire and EMS team. The briefing will be held in the F&EMS Headquarters second floor conference room.
DC Council member Phil Mendelson gave the department until July 12 to change the policy or he would try to do it for them through legislation. Mendelson believes the policy already in place with the Metropolitan Police Department is a good one:
The Metropolitan Police Department’s pregnancy policy allows women to stay on limited-duty assignments throughout their pregnancies, said Mr. Mendelson, at-large Democrat.
In an interview, Chief Ellerbe said he worried he would open the department up for discrimination lawsuits by creating separate distinctions for employees on limited-duty assignments. Instead, he said the department was more closely exploring the option of offering the 90-day limited-duty assignments. Even that change would not be without ramifications, he said.
“My concern is that overtime would increase,” he said of a change from the current policy of 30 days to a policy of 90 days.
Also on STATter911 …
- Rockledge, FL’s only woman firefighter says she’s been forced to take maternity leave. Geri Miller wants light duty like those injured off the job. – June 15, 2012
- Stabbing victim transported in DC fire truck New Year’s Eve. Ambulances & medic units not staffed. Lack of planning & high sick leave use cited. – January 2, 2013
- Facebook problems in the Nation’s Capital. Five DC firefighters taken off the street for comments about police. – May 14, 2013
- Three DC firefighters face discipline over appearing with President Obama without authorization. One of those in trouble publicly opposed Chief Kenneth Ellerbe’s uniform policy. – February 22, 2013
Comments
Powered by Facebook Comments
welcome to the real working world. just like most other jobs including most municipal jobs (including my wife who is a teacher) they should have to use their sick leave and no paid maternity leave. If they plan on getting pregnant then step up and pay for a short term disability plan. They knew what they signed up for when they took the job- a firefighter isn't a desk job.
Anonymous, you're comparing the demands of your wife's job as a teacher to the same as those of a firefighter? I'm sure that your wife isn't using months of sick leave, but you expect the firefighters to do it. Are you familiar at all with FMLA and the job protection guarantee?
Reason number 100,000 why women shouldnt be in the fire department
Firefighters are hired to do a job with very specific physical requirements that are known and agreed to at the time of hiring. When they make decisions that make them incapable of doing the job, why do they believe they are they OWED a different job? This presumed obligation on the part of the employer seems to be demanded without regard to whether or not there is even light-duty work that needs to be done. The fire department isn't in business to pay firefighters to sit at a desk due to the firefighters own non-work related actions and decisions.
btw, the Family and Medical Leave Act ensures that an individual's job is still available after taking unpaid leave for family/medical reasons. It does not guarantee them paid time off that is not already part of their employment agreement.
I actually am familar with FMLA and it does not guarntee light duty assignments or paid time off.
Looks like this thread is going to degrade into why women shouldn't be in the fire service. The 3rd commentor says it's reason 100,000. I'd like to be enlightened on the other 99,999.
Cue James Brown's "It's a Man's Man's Man's World" about now? Dave, yes, please compile the other 99,999 reasons. Should be educational!
If the attitude that women shouldn't be allowed sick time for pregnancy, a condition that she should know is happening, she can prevent it and all that, then I say no sick leave for all you old, fat slobs who are firemen are not allowed sick time if you have a heart attack. It's a condition you should know is happening, you can prevent it so ergo ipso fatso..no sick time. buy the STD insurance. And no light duty..ever for any of you idiots who can't do your job right without getting hurt.
Survey Time:
You guys posting on here are really:
A. Idiots
B. Jerks
C. Lonely every Saturday night.
D. Old Fat Slobs who shoulda retired along time ago
E. All of the above
Hahaha, great reply Malcom!
Using the words firefighter and woman together is the first mistake. I have yet to see a woman who can do the job of a fireman, don't get me wrong there are a ton of men who can't either. With that aside, I feel it is discriminatory towards me, to allow a woman a light duty position for pregnancy, but deny me light duty for a non job related injury. If I break my ankle off of the job, I am forced to use my own sick leave with a maximum of 30 days in a light duty position, as it should be. If a female employee gets a case of pecker poisoning, and 2 months into it her Dr. says no more wasting space on a fire engine for you young lady, then she is in a light duty position for the duration of said pecker poisoning, she does not have to use her own sick leave. And that my freinds is discrimination.
I learn something new every time I come to this site. I'll have to turn our probie on to the STD insurance, I'm sure he's itching for some!
Some people probably disagree with STD insurance. They're real crabs.
Malcom,
Do you even know what you are talking about? Firemen are placed on their own sick leave if they have a heart attack the same way as a female that is pregnant. It is a fact that firemen are at risk of having heart attacks due to the job which would make it a work related injury. Unless female firefighters are getting knocked up while on the clock they should not be given special duties or assignments. A man falls slips on an ice patch in his own driveway and breaks his arm. He would have to use his own sick leave until his arm healed. If a pregnant firefighter is given a light duty spot or paid to be on maternity leave then it should be offered to everyone that is injured off the job.
Pecker poisoning. Hahaha thats a good one!
I don't understand the opposition to this one, and maybe I haven't thought about it enough but I say let em have the leave. They are the ones having new babies and I guess that's kind of important in the grand scheme of things. I don't really feel discriminated against because women are the only ones who can get pregnant. If only female firefighters got light duty for off duty broken ankles, then I'd be a bit pissed. Not so much with pregnancy.