Largo city workers fired for not reporting to work during Hurricane Irma

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Two Largo city workers have been fired for failing to report to work during Hurricane Irma. Two more have resigned.

Brian Nutting has run a crane truck for the city for 24 years, but was fired after going home to his wife during the worst of the storm.

He says he was worried about his wife being alone and wanted to be with her.

“I was worried about that big tree coming down on the house at 3 o’clock in the morning with 100 mile an hour winds,” Nutting told FOX 13 as he pointed to a tree in his yard. “There’s nobody here to protect her. To do anything for her.”

The city says the community relies on their workers during crisis situations, and went out of their way to provide a pet friendly shelter for all workers and their families.

Nutting says he reported to work as soon as the storm had cleared.

“There went 24 years down the drain,” Brian Nutting said of his firing. “Excellent work record, all for nothing.”

The city says each worker signed a contract before hurricane season saying they would be present during an emergency, or face termination.

“He signed that agreement,” labor attorney Marcia Cohen said, adding the contract will likely prevent Nutting and others who lost their jobs from bringing suit.