September 12, 2008

DHH: Pay overtime for work during storm

If the Department of Health and Hospitals, does not want another St. Rita's nursing home crisis in St. Bernard Parish to occur all over again, it should do the right thing and pay employees the overtime they earned for working before, during and after Hurricane Gustav - rather than compensatory time.

Although the majority of us don't work for the low wages they pay anyway, DHH couldn't have believed their employees would forget about their families, property and own wellbeing to work during Hurricane Gustav for compensatory time, something we probably won't see until the end of the fiscal year anyway.

So if DHH wants to avoid a major crisis the next time another hurricane threatens Louisiana (i.e., Ike), do the right thing and pay your employees what they are owed. You have time to fix the situation before Ike comes.

Adam Leger

Church Point