New bill aims to help 911 dispatchers
NOBLESVILLE, Ind. (WISH) — A federal bill is being considered in the House to reclassify 911 dispatchers as first responders, a proposal that lawmakers have decided against in the past.
Currently, dispatchers are classified as clerks by federal labor laws. Mike Hubbs, the director of Hamilton County Public Safety Communications, said the classification creates logistical issues for 911 Centers across the country.
He supports the 911 SAVES Act, House Resolution 6319 . The bill says, “Classifying public safety telecommunicators as Protective Service Occupations would correct an inaccurate representation in the Standard Occupational Classification, recognize these professionals for the lifesaving work they perform, and better align the Standard Occupational Classification with related classification systems.”
Hubbs said the bill has been before Congress multiple times over the last four to five years, but was tied to other legislation that ultimately failed.
“It needs to happen,” Hubbs said. “It needed to happen for years.”
Hubbs says that when 911 dispatchers are considered clerks they have to stick to the 40-hour workweek and have to work at least 37.5 hours a week to get full-time pay.
He wants an exemption so dispatchers can work 12-hour, rotating shifts without losing out on pay and other benefits. Police officers, firefighters and other first responders already get this benefit.
“I support it because it’s going to untie a lot of the technical employment scheduling matters for 911 directors throughout the country,” Hubbs said.
NENA: The 911 Association’s website said reclassification can also help dispatchers get access to resources after doing traumatizing work. Hubbs said, “We expect them to come in here, work in this crazy environment, and I have to adhere to this federal labor where if you were a police officer, I wouldn’t have to do that.”
Hubbs says that, in Hamilton County, the dispatchers prefer to work 12-hour shifts. They work two days on and two off, but he said the shift can often lead to dispatchers being short on hours if they only take three shifts in a week.
“So if you look at the schedule, because they are clerks, I have to get them 37.5 hours a week and when you do the math they’re short,” Hubbs said. “So guess what happens; they get docked pay.”
Hubbs is a former police officer. He knows just how important 911 dispatchers are.
“They’re heroes in there. They’re heroes with headsets. They don’t carry a gun or they don’t have a fire hose or drive a firetruck, but, they have a headset, and really when you think about it, if you don’t have them in there, nothing moves. The firetruck doesn’t roll. You don’t get the ambulance. You don’t get the police officer.”
Indiana state law already recognizes 911 dispatchers as first responders. “State code does recognize 911 dispatchers as public safety first responders,” Hubbs said. “So, the state of Indiana is taking the steps. It’s on the law. The problem is the federal government hasn’t taken the steps.”
Hubbs said he travels to Washington, D.C., every year to advocate for this change.
He said two Indiana representatives in Congress, Democrat André Carson of Indianapolis, and, Republican Victoria Spartz of Noblesville, have been very supportive.
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