The Columbus Fire Department has added new employment policies relating to off-duty employment by firefighters.
Columbus Board of Works members approved the new policy Tuesday, which permits off-duty employment by city firefighters, but only with certain conditions.
Among the caveats are that any off-duty employment that reflects adversely on the department, because of potential conflict of interest, embarrassment to the fire department or which would give uniformed personnel an unfair advantage because of their job as firefighter, is prohibited, the policy states.
Any off-duty employment that violates the city’s code of ethical conduct is also prohibited. The policy states that firefighters must not accept any position that would interfere with or contradict the professional judgement of public safety officers. Firefighters must also be available to respond with reasonable promptness to extreme conditions, such as being called in for civil disturbances or terrorist attacks.
The new policy for firefighters is being added at a time when two Columbus police officers are being investigated by the Indiana State Police for allegations of working a secondary job as security at Columbus Regional Hospital during a regular shift for the police department.
Hospital officials have confirmed that Columbus Police officers Dan Meister and Ron May, who were the subject of an internal CPD investigation, were dismissed from their independent contractor jobs at the hospital on Nov. 30, one day after the police department completed its investigation.
Meister, who was previously a lieutenant, elected to take a patrol officer position and has been reassigned to non-law enforcement duties since Nov. 29, according to the police department. May announced he would retire Nov. 29, and due to accumulated vacation and severance is not working for the department now pending his retirement in May.
Indiana State Police are continuing their investigation and did not respond to a request for an update on the case on Tuesday.
Columbus police confirmed on Tuesday that a similar policy for off-duty employment has been in place for the police department for a number of years and was reviewed during the department’s accreditation procedures.
Fire department Deputy Chief Mike Kutsko told board of works members on Tuesday that most Columbus firefighters have part-time jobs, but there has never been a conflict or issue with the primary job as firefighter. However, the new policy now formalizes the rules regarding off-duty employment, he said.
The policy prohibits firefighters from calling in sick or requesting line-of-duty leave for secondary employment.
“Uniformed personnel must insure that secondary employment does not affect their work schedule at the city, nor should it cause, directly or indirectly, increased overtime costs for the city,” the policy states.
In addition to the new policy on off-duty employment, the board also approved a new pregnancy and family leave policy for the fire department on Tuesday.
There have been only two female firefighters on the department during Kutsko’s time there, and he said there was not a need for a policy then as one left her position and the other did not start a family while employed at the department.
However, the department has recently hired another young woman, and the department wants to be proactive in spelling out leave policies and duty assignments for pregnant firefighters, he said.
Mary Ferdon, city executive director of administration and community development, said the city worked with its human resources department on the policy, which required compliance with a number of federal guidelines.
The new policy emphasizes the safety of the firefighter is of the utmost importance, along with the safety of other firefighters working with her, Ferdon said.
Chuck Doup, who attended the meeting, asked about what kind of other duties a pregnant firefighter would be assigned.
“I’m old school,” he told the board. “I’m all about protecting the mama and the baby.”
Kutsko explained that along with consulting with the mother-to-be, and her physician, the fire department would assign the firefighter to a non-fire truck assignment, such as working in the training division or in an administrative capacity on paperwork and reports. The assignment would be similar to what a firefighter who has been injured or assigned to light duty would be asked to do.
The main goal is to make sure the firefighter and her expected baby is not exposed to any dangerous conditions at a fire scene, city officials said.
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To read the new Columbus Fire Department general orders dealing with off-duty employment and pregnancy and family leave, visit columbus.in.gov and go to the "City Hall" tab and scroll down to documents. Select Board of Works for the Jan. 29 meeting, which has the two documents for the Columbus Fire Department.
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