MIAMI BEACH, Fla. – For the past 11 years Julio Espinosa has been a lifeguard with the city of Miami Beach.
The 32-year-old told Local 10 news that he's dedicated to his job and that's why he found it appalling to receive an intent to terminate letter that was served to him and about 100 other parks and recreation workers, because they failed to show up to work when required to do so the Tuesday after Hurricane Irma hit South Florida.
Espinosa said he was home with a sick child and had a doctor's note to prove it, and he even cleared his absence with his boss.
"I talked to my immediate supervisor and she gave me the OK," he said.
Yet up until Wednesday, his job was in jeopardy.
"I'm one of the lucky ones," Espinosa said. "They let me know right away in that meeting that you're going to be fine because I had a doctor's note."
Local 10 News was told that the city rescinded two termination letters.
Union attorney Michael Braverman thinks the entire situation could have been handled differently.
"Each of these employees have been put through an unnecessary situation," he said. "Had the city just checked their records and found out what had taken place, they would never had issued those letters and never advised these employees that they were subject to any disciplinary action -- certainly not termination."
While Espinosa will keep his job, he shows compassion for his colleagues who might not be so lucky.
"Most people went through the interview process and they don't even know if they still have a job or not," he said.