City Commissioner Dan Saltzman this morning delayed a motion before the council, to direct the city attorney’s office to appeal an arbitrator’s ruling saying the city should pay out $104,000 to former firefighter Tom Hurley.

Hurley has been claiming disability checks from the city since 1993, after he hurt his back. He went to the French Culinary Institute in New York while collecting disability checks of $3,200 a month, and eventually became a famous chef—particularly at his now-shuttered Northwest restaurant, Hurley’s, which attracted animal rights protesters with its ubiquitous use of foie gras.

The city tried to force Hurley to rejoin the firefighters under a new “return to work program” in 2005, but Hurley refused, so the city stopped paying the benefits. An arbitrator ruled recently, however, that FPD&R should have bargained over that “return to work program” with the union before asking Hurley to return to work. The arbitrator said FPD&R owes Hurley $104,000 to “make good.”

“After discussion with the city attorney’s office we have decided to set this motion over until next week,” says Saltzman’s chief of staff, Brendan Finn.

It’s unclear what’s behind the move.

Matt Davis was news editor of the Mercury from 2009 to May 2010.

9 replies on “Saltzman Delays Motion on Tom Hurley Payment”

  2. 2010-1993 = 17 years.

    17 years * 12 months = 204 payments

    1 payment = $3200

    $3200 * 204 = $652,800 (or approx. $38,400/yr.)

  3. That’s it. I’m joining the fire department.

    [Bit concerned about this sore back of mine, but it’ll probably be fine…]

    Also, I love cooking.

  4. Oh, thanks Jackattak – I fail at reading comprehension today.

    @Matt – Okay, sure. Just as long as you STOP WRITING, we’re good. 😉

  5. A former combat buddy of mine got out of the Army with bad knees (he was Airborne and jumped out of airplanes, hitting the ground at 25mph frequently) and was never given any disability when he got out.

    Six years later he filed for disability through the VA hospital and was granted 50% disability for life, which took effect retroactively. He was an E-6 when he got out, which made his pay around $40,000/yr.

    50% of $40,000 = $20,000

    6 * $20,000 = $120,000

    He received a check for $120,000 in the mail two weeks after his disability was granted, opened a skateboard shop in Santa Cruz, and is still kickin’ ass after six years of being open (this all went down in 2004).

    Me? I was diagnosed with 25% hearing loss when I got out and didn’t get shit because my old man’s side of the family has genetic hearing loss.

    Bullshit.

  6. @ Reymont –

    Well, technically it would’ve been math comprehension but yeah, no worries. I do complex mathematical algorithms for a living so it’s not a big deal.

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