Back in 2008, Bowling Green Fire Chief Greg Johnson filed a complaint with the Kentucky Labor Cabinet.

The complaint says fire fighters from November 2003 to 2008 hadn't received the total amount of overtime pay due to them.

Most firefighter average 56 hours a week which turns into 832 hours a year.

They were getting a $1.42 an hour, but were supposed to be receiving $2.24 thanks to a rule change by the state Supreme Court.

"Its going to impact, not just the guys that were working 5 years ago back from last November but also a significant number of people who retired that year will be to some money based on the state labor laws," says Chief Johnson.

But how much exactly is owed, the city has not been told.

However, it has $1.3 million saved just in case.

"At this point we're really not sure if we have enough saved. One reason is because we don't know how the back pay effects retirement," says Bowling Green Chief Financial Officer, Jeff Meisel.

"Its happening at an unfortunate time in terms of the other hard economic issues facing the city," remarks Chief Johnson.

Since the city has already had to do some major tighten to its operating expenses this fiscal year, if the back pay is more than the money already set aside, the city may have to make some tough decisions.

"At this point, if the total amount due comes back from the department of labor more than we expected, I'm not really sure what we'll do to cover that," notes Meisel.

Meisel says the labor cabinet was supposed to have already gotten back to the city about exactly how much it owes the firefighters.

However, he says until a final decision is reached, there is little the city can do to compensate those firefighters.

Meisel says the city would search for other cuts it could make to come up with any extra money needed, and raising taxes probably wouldn't be an option.