Louisville, Ky. (WHAS11) - Louisville firefighters and department retirees could get millions in back pay after the Kentucky Supreme Court has denied the city's request to overturn a lower court's ruling that overtime was miscalculated for five years.
Since firefighters work shifts of 24 hours on duty and 48 hours off, they average 56 hours a week.
The firefighters say the city needed to pay overtime after 40 hours.
The labor cabinet ruled in favor of the firefighters.
The firefighters also won in Jefferson Circuit Court and later at the appellate court level before the city appealed to the State Supreme Court.
Mayor Abramson says the city will abide by the decision.
Abramson says millions of dollars are owed to the firefighters, some who have already retired.
He says the city will wait to hear from the labor department as to how the money should be distributed.
