By Charles D. Perry
The Sun News
HORRY COUNTY, S.C. — Four longtime Horry County Fire-Rescue employees are suing the agency for not following through on promised pay raises, according to court records.
The lawsuit was filed last week by Wylie Neil Doyle, Timothy Lee, Anthony Mottola III and David Todd. The four have a combined 77 years of department service, with Dodd working the longest at 25 years and Mottola having the shortest tenure at 14.
All are cross trained as firefighters and paramedics.
The employees’ pay has been based on a formula that factors in rank and years of service. In July 2008, the agency created a “propay” system that relegated firefighter/paramedics to a lower grade on the agency’s salary scale but rewarded them with a $7,500 propay increase for training in both fields, according the lawsuit. The goal was to offer an incentive for obtaining a paramedic’s certification. Firefighter/paramedics were reduced in grade level so they would not outrank their supervisors.
But when agency implemented the new system, the employees contend, they received less than they were promised. In 2013, Mottola was promoted to lieutenant and actually saw his pay decline because of issues with the propay system, the lawsuit states.
Court records indicate Horry County Fire-Rescue administrators have acknowledged problems with the propay system but haven’t compensated the employees for years of underpayment.
The disparity has increased because of cost of living increases and overtime worked, according to the lawsuit.
Horry County spokeswoman Lisa Bourcier said the county has not been served with the lawsuit yet. The county typically doesn’t comment on pending litigation.
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©2014 The Sun News (Myrtle Beach, S.C.)