Laid off firefighters in Mass. still getting paid

From The Boston Globe, October 30

LAWRENCE, MA – When Lawrence laid off eight firefighters nearly three months ago, it was supposed to save the city money.

Instead, those firefighters have been sitting at home collecting a full paycheck.

Mayor Michael Sullivan tells The Eagle-Tribune that the cash-strapped city "dropped the ball" and anticipated savings from the layoffs and the resulting closure of two fire substations have not materialized.

A city lawyer says the laid off firefighters are still getting paid because of a provision in Civil Service law that entitles them to a hearing in which the city must show the layoffs are justified.

But the hearing officer hired by the city more than a month ago has still not released an opinion.