SEIU Local 73 Successfully Wins Settlement for Maywood Firefighter

SEIU Local 73 won a settlement on behalf of Maywood Firefighter Michael Joseph. In 2021, Michael requested 30 minutes of comp time to stretch his back. Management not only denied Michael’s request, but they also sent him home without pay and deducted a day of paid sick leave. Under their contract, firefighters only receive three paid sick days a year.

Union staff filed a grievance on Michael’s behalf and persuaded the Village of Maywood to settle the issue without entering into arbitration. The Village agreed to pay Michael a settlement equivalent to the cash out of one sick day.

 “Without the legal team’s expertise, I feel my grievance would not have been taken seriously by management and would have been dismissed outright. The SEIU attorney understanding the contract so well helped to back up my claim. I appreciated someone looking out for my best interest,” said Michael.