Brothers & Sisters,

We have fielded a number of inquiries on the Departments ability to require Officers to work the upcoming FedEx Games. Most notably: “can they order me off of RDO” and “what if they change my existing shift to work the game.”  Please see below:

First and foremost your Lodge leadership has been aware and working with the Department to negotiate, in real time, the roll out of this issue. The Lodge leadership continues to have daily conversations with Departmental leadership on this topic as we are made aware of issues in real time. 

As to the questions listed above:

Yes, the Department can order Officers in on rdo as an operational necessity. FedEx, based upon the MOU and the security implications, must be staffed on game day. However, that employee MUST be payed a minimum of three hours OT as outlined in the contract. The FedEx assignment obviously lasts longer than three hours and Officers MUST be paid accordingly. 

If any officer is forced to change their already scheduled shift (i.e. change day work overlap to evening overlap) and or work their existing shift (i.e. already on eves or mids) at FedEx for straight time …please be aware that you should put in for admin leave and then be paid ot as described in the General Orders under Overtime – Restrictions. No Officer should be working FedEx for straight time.

That being said, we have coordinated with Departmental leadership and we would hope that individual commanders will ask for volunteers before simply ordering people in off of rdo. However, we are aware this will likely take place.

The Lodge believes there are a number of ways (listed below) to entice Officers to voluntarily work the FedEx assignments and thus lessen the current 40ish Officer deficit for each game. As such, the Lodge has again proposed the following suggestions to improve participation:

Allowing Blue utility uniforms
Increased wages – comp plus ot, double time, etc
Allowing Sgt / Lt to work in a NON supervisory position to back fill vacancies.
Splitting the mandatory ot between day work units staying late and midnight units coming in early. (This requires far more coordination but will limit the strain on those members that have already worked a full shift.)

We are hopeful there may be traction on some of these suggestions.

Please strive to keep each other safe and CONTINUE TO USE DISCRETION IN YOUR DAILY PATROLS, especially in a venue such as FedEx.