ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. — A group of current and former employees from the Albuquerque Community Safety (ACS) Department has filed a federal lawsuit, accusing the City of Albuquerque of wage violations. The complaint, filed Monday, alleges the city wrongly classified them as salaried workers, thereby denying them overtime pay and holiday compensation for several years.
According to the lawsuit, six former and five current ACS employees claim the city breached the Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA), which mandates overtime pay for eligible employees who work more than 40 hours per week. The plaintiffs argue that their job duties and pay structure met the legal definition of hourly employees, but they were improperly labeled as salaried staff.
Also Read – Albuquerque Fire Rescue Reveals Cause of Deadly Apartment Blaze
By doing so, the city allegedly failed to pay time-and-a-half wages for overtime and did not compensate them for extended breaks or holiday work, the lawsuit states.
In response, a city spokesperson acknowledged that ACS responders have now been reclassified from salaried to hourly positions, ensuring they receive proper overtime moving forward. “This change reflects the actual demands of their roles, including eligibility for overtime,” the city said in a statement.
The plaintiffs are now seeking a jury trial and back pay for the wages they claim were unjustly withheld. City officials said they are reviewing the lawsuit thoroughly and plan to address the allegations in court.
