Commissioner says any firefighter who abused sick leave should be fired

By Kyle B. Hansen

Tuesday, March 1, 2011 | 9:59 p.m.

An investigation into sick leave abuse by Clark County firefighters continues, county commissioners were told Tuesday, but it may be a while before anyone is disciplined as a result.

Assistant County Manager Ed Finger told commissioners that they should wait for the county and law enforcement agencies to finish their ongoing investigations before pushing for more information about specific firefighters to be made public.

Commissioners expressed their desire to see anyone who fraudulently used sick leave be terminated as an example to other employees.

“If it’s one firefighter or if it’s 51 firefighters, if they have committed fraud, if they have cheated the taxpayer, then we will go after them, terminate or prosecute to the fullest extent of the law,” Commissioner Larry Brown said. “I don’t think that can be lost because if nothing else, it has to set the standard and set the precedent that that behavior will not be tolerated.”

So far, no one has been terminated or put on leave without pay as a result of sick leave abuse, Finger said, but the county has not ruled out any potential discipline.

All county employees are entitled to due process, Finger said. The county is cooperating with law enforcement agencies investigating the abuse, but some details should remain private until the right time, he said.

Tina Leiss, the operations officer for the Nevada Public Employees Retirement System, or PERS, told commissioners that the county would be able to make adjustments to firefighters’ retirement contributions if fraud is proven.

Employers can correct compensation records at any time, she said, and the system can go back at least six years to collect money overpaid to retired employees, Leiss said.