On January 16, Associate Policy Director Karrington Anderson testified before the Finance Committee in opposition to SB 124 – Employment Standards – Firefighters – Payment of Wages and Payroll Information. This bill would negate local bargaining authority to negotiate firefighter schedules and overtime policies, replacing it with a statewide mandate for uniform schedules and overtime policies.
SB 124 would cost some counties millions, either by requiring significant new hires or through exorbitant overtime expenses, while exacerbating existing challenges in firefighter recruitment and retention. These impacts threaten the financial stability of local governments and the effectiveness of emergency services.
SB 124 is a one-size-fits-all approach that threatens to undermine local firefighting operations, place an undue financial burden on county governments, and compromise emergency response services for Maryland residents.
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