DRACUT, Mass. â A Dracut firefighter says serving his country is costing him money and when he went to town management, they began retaliating.
Boston 25 News first introduced you to Dracut firefighter Justin George when he ran the Boston Marathon for a family he met on the job the day their son died of a rare heart condition. George also was named 2016 Firefighter of the Year by his chief after he located a woman with dementia who had been missing for days.
But these days he's on paid leave.
George also serves in the National Guard. Last spring, he asked the town to adopt a state law that allows public employees to be fully compensated when they're away at drills or training. Right now, the town of Dracut only pays George the difference of the wages lost when he misses work for the Guard.
ONLY ON BOSTON 25: a Dracut Firefighter says he loses money serving on the National Guard by the way his town calculates his pay when heâs away. He says when he started fighting the town, they retaliated. What heâs now under investigation for, in minutes on @boston25. pic.twitter.com/ohZQTkWSu2
â Heather Hegedus (@HeatherHegedus) November 5, 2018
But he says when he went to human resources and the state to file complaints, he was placed on paid administrative leave and ordered to take a test to evaluate his fitness for service.
Boston 25 News reached out to the fire chief for comment but has not heard back.
Town manager Jim Duggan denies there's been retaliation and says they haven't adopted the state law because the town's independent auditor ruled their system of compensation is legal. He says it's also about looking out for the best financial interests of the town.
George is expecting a big showing of support at Monday's town meeting. If taxpayers decide to adopt the state law, George says he'll donate his National Guard pay to the town's veteran services department.
>> Dad and firefighter running Boston Marathon in honor of sons
Cox Media Group
