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Volunteer lifeguards could return to Jacksonville Beach soon

City Council needs to approve agreement between city, Volunteer Life Saving Corps

Jax Beach Volunteer Life Savings Corps (News4JAX.com)

JACKSONVILLE BEACH, Fla. – The Volunteer Life Saving Corps could soon return to Jacksonville Beach if the city council approves an agreement between the two groups.

For more than 100 years, the Corps served as volunteer lifeguards on Sundays and holidays to give the Jacksonville Beach lifeguards time off.

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In 2021, the Department of Labor found the Corps was in violation of fair labor laws because the lifeguards were providing free services, while others got paid.

So the city had to end its partnership with the Corps and kicked them out of their lifeguard station.

That frustrated the Corps, which filed a lawsuit against the city, arguing the city breached its contract with them.

Now the city of Jacksonville Beach says it reached a new agreement with the VLSC to keep lifeguards on the beach every day.

The new agreement will be brought before the Jax Beach City Council on Monday for approval.

If the city council approves it, the Corps will withdraw its lawsuit and resume services, starting at the end of May.

News4JAX is still working to learn how the city and the Corps reached this agreement.