>>> PARAMEDICS AND EMTS ARE FACING ILLEGAL PAYCHECK DEDUCTIONS FOR ON-THE-JOB TRAFFIC TICKETS.

THAT IS A SURPRISING CLAIM IN A CLASS ACTION WAGE THEFT LAWSUIT FILED AGAINST ELITE INDIANS, A LARGE PRIVATE INFLUENCE FIRM THAT WORKS AROUND THE CHICAGO AREA.

CHICAGO TONIGHT'S NICK BLUMBERG IS THE FIRST TO REPORT ON THIS STORY AND IS HERE WITH DETAILS ON THE TOUCHES OF STOLEN PAY.

>> Reporter: WE HAVE ALL SEEN IN INDOLENCE RACING DOWN THE STREET TRYING TO GET SOMEONE CRITICALLY ILL TO THE HOSPITAL IN TIME.

AFTER THE, SOMETIMES THOSE INSTANCES ARE PICKED UP ON A RED LIGHT OR SPEED CAMERA.

IN A SUIT FILED YESTERDAY IN COOK COUNTY COURT, THREE EMPLOYEES OF ELITE SAY THE COMPANY HAS BEEN DEDUCTING THE COST OF MOVING VIOLATIONS FROM THEIR PAYCHECKS WITHOUT THEIR CONSENT.

>> IT SEEMS LIKE THE OCCASION BUT WHEN IT IS THEY DON'T WANT TO HAVE TO PAY OR BE BOTHERED TO CHALLENGE THESE TICKETS TO THESE ARE PARAMEDICS, EMTS, PEOPLE ENGAGING IN LIFE-SAVING WORK.

OBVIOUSLY , VERY FAMOUSLY, WE KNOW THAT AMBULANCES NEED TO SOMETIMES MOVE A LITTLE FASTER THAN THE RATE OF TRAFFIC.

SO, IT IS NOT SOMETHING THAT SHOULD COME AS A SURPRISE TO THE COMPANY.

>> Reporter: THE TWO EMTS NAMED PLAINTIFFS IN THE SUIT SAY THEY WERE TOLD THEY HAD TO AGREE TO THE DEDUCTION AFTER THE FACT AND REFUSED.

THE THE PLAINTIFF, A PARAMEDIC , SINCE HE WASN'T NOTIFIED AT ALL.

>> HOW MUCH MONEY ARE WE TALKING ABOUT HERE?

>> THE PLAINTIFFS SAY THE TICKETS THEY GOT ON THE TOP FOR $100 AND CENTS EACH.

EDDIE RAMSEY CANNONS IS $100.00 IS SIGNIFICANT DEPENDING ON HOW MUCH MONEY YOU MAKE.

RELATIVELY SMALL AMOUNT LIKE THESE ARE ONE OF THE REASONS THAT MAKE CASES OF ALLEGED WAGE THEFT SO TOUGH.

>> UNSCRUPULOUS EMPLOYERS RELYING ON THE IDEA THAT PEOPLE AREN'T GOING TO BE WILLING TO GO TO COURT TO RECOVER $100.00, $200.00 THAT IS STOLEN FROM THEM.

THAT IS ONE CLASS ACTIONS ARE SO IMPORTANT BECAUSE NOT ONLY DOES IT MAKE SURE EVERYBODY GETS MADE HOME, IN THIS CASE IT COULD BE THOUSANDS, TENS OF THOUSANDS, WHO KNOWS, IT REALLY DEPENDS ON THE SIZE OF THE CLASS CERTIFIED.

ALSO, THERE ARE PENALTIES.

>> NICK, YOU MENTIONED THE CITY CLASS OFTEN, HOW MANY WOULD THAT INVOLVE?

>> Reporter: THE ELITE WEBSITE SAYS IT HAS 2000 EMPLOYEES, 175 INDOLENCE IS WORKING IN THE CHICAGO AREA AND NORTHWEST INDIANA.

IF THE JUDGE IN THIS CASE DOES TO DEFINE IT AS A CLASS ACTION, IT COULD BE A VERY LARGE GROUP INDEED.

PARAMEDIC PAOLO ACEVEDO IS ONE OF THE PLAINTIFF.

WHEN HE WAS YOUNGER AND WITH THE COMPANY, WAS UPSET ABOUT THE DIRECTIONS BUT DIDN'T PUSH BACK BUT HE TOLD ME HE HAS SINCE TALKED WITH MANY OTHER EMPLOYEES WHO SAY THIS PRACTICE GOES BACK YEARS.

HE SAYS ELITE IS PICKING UP THE PACE.

HE TOLD ME, "OVER THE PAST SIX MONTHS, I HAVE SEEN A HUGE INCREASE IN DEDUCTING WAIVERS BEING FORCED ONTO EMPLOYEES THAT THEY BELIEVE ARE THE PROBABLE DRIVERS OF THE VEHICLE AT THE TIME.

IT BECAME AGGRAVATING FOR ME AND A FEW OTHER PARAMEDICS WHO, AS WE'VE GOTTEN OLDER, I REALIZED IT'S NOT FAIR PRACTICE."

>> NICK, HOW DID THE LAWSUIT GET STARTED?

>> Reporter: THE PARAMEDICS AND EMTS GOT IN TOUCH WITH THEIR ATTORNEY WOULD DISCUSSION THE ALLEGED WAGE THEFT DURING ORGANIZING PRIVATE INVESTMENT, WORKERS AT FILED FOR A UNION ELECTION WITH THE NATIONAL LABOR RELATIONS BOARD.

THEY'VE HAD WORKPLACE PROBLEMS LIKE MANAGEMENT NOT PROBABLY STALKING COMPANY VEHICLES WITH NECESSARY EQUIPMENT.

HE SAYS LOW PAYMENTS MANY FIRST RESPONDERS ARE STRUGGLING TO MAKE ENDS MEET.

HE SAYS THE CURRENT AVERAGE PAY IN THIS FIELD IS ALREADY SO LOW.

WITHOUT UNIONIZATION, RINSING HEALTH WORKERS ARE NEVER GOING TO BE TO MAKE THE MONEY THAT THEY DESERVE.

A LOT OF WORKERS ARE FORCED TO WORK 75 HOURS A WEEK, SOMETIMES 40 HOURS OVERTIME JUST TO BE ABLE TO AFFORD HAVING AN APARTMENT IN CHICAGO.

ATTORNEY CANNON SAYS WHETHER IT IS UNIONIZATION OR LEGAL ACTION, EMPLOYEES COMING TOGETHER AT A WORKPLACE HELPS PEOPLE EXERCISE THEIR RIGHTS.

>> THE FIRST STEP OF TALKING TO YOUR COWORKERS OPENLY IS SO IMPORTANT TO MAKING SURE YOU DON'T FEEL ALONE AND ALSO NOT TO UNDERSTAND THESE ARE SYSTEMATIC THINGS YOU CAN GET REMEDIES FOR.