Two former FDNY firefighters have filed a class action lawsuit against the city, alleging they were forced to work up to 30 unpaid hours a week and perform humiliating duties at a training school.
According to the Manhattan Supreme Court lawsuit, William H. Payne and Brandon Keeney were forced to arrive 90 minutes to two hours before their scheduled start time, often working 12-hour shifts.
Although they are no longer employed by the department, they claimed they were only paid 40 hours a week.
“I don't know about you, but slavery is over. You can't work for free,” said Payne, 36, who worked at Ladder 24 in Midtown until she was laid off in September 2023. Ta.
The FDNY did not say why Payne was fired.
“They let us know when it was over. I couldn't just tell my family, 'I'll be home at this time,' because I didn't really know,” he says.
Payne said they repeatedly complained about unpaid work.
“When you start talking about yourself, you're seen as having a problem,” said Payne, who claimed she was canned because of her complaints.
During their unpaid shifts, cadets were often asked to go on stage to do push-ups and clean bathrooms, stairs and kitchens used by senior firefighters.
Phone calls were “strictly prohibited. They don't want this to be public,” said Keeney, 34, who worked for Engine Company 299 in Fresh Meadows until January 2023. .
The academy was “aggressive” and abusive, the former city corrections officer claimed.
“They called us 'freaks' and made us feel scared over very small details. They just abuse you from the get-go,” the married father of a young child told the Post. “For me, actually coming from a law enforcement background, it was 10 times more intense.
“It's meant to break you down,” said Keeney, who took voluntary retirement in October.
“Employers, even the FDNY, are not exempt from laws that protect workers from wage theft,” said attorney Tanvir H. Rahman, who is representing the couple.
The Uniformed Firefighters Association is calling for more paid time for firefighters who come to work early to help colleagues clean equipment and shower, but smokers are frequently exposed to pollutants. Union president Andrew Ansbro said this was a serious issue, but he refused. To comment on issues related to the Academy.
A spokesperson for the city's Department of Justice declined to comment on the complaint, saying, “We will review it as soon as it is served and respond with a lawsuit.”
