| Advertisement |
|
|
EL MONTE, Calif. (KTLA) -- The El Monte lifeguards fired for their "Gangnam Style" parody video will be getting their jobs back, but for some, it's only so they can immediately quit.
In a split vote back in October, the City Council recommended that the lifeguards be rehired and given the chance to resign to eliminate any blemish on their records.
Those who wish to continue working at the El Monte Aquatic Center will have to wait until the end of the year when an independent review of the firings is completed.
Interim City Manager Dayle Keller and a representative of the city's Human Resources Department have been meeting with the lifeguards individually over the last few weeks.
The city has declined to say just how many of the lifeguards have decided to resign. But at least two of the 14 lifeguards have already said they're not returning.
The 13 lifeguards and one manager were all let go in September after the parody video surfaced on YouTube.
The city said the lifeguards employed city property, including their uniforms, for private use.
"There was a clear unauthorized use of city resources and property, including the use of city-issued uniforms during the making of this unauthorized video," city officials said in a statement.
The lifeguards argued that they were off the clock when they shot the video, and said they didn't intend to offend anyone.
"We never got warning. I actually have never had a write-up in my six years or working there," lifeguard Juliette Gilek said.
"We thought it was hysterical and we wanted to try something fun," said Michael Roa, a University of La Verne student who's been a lifeguard for seven years.
Roa edited and posted the video on Aug. 26. "We were trying out some dance moves," he said. "We didn't think we did anything offensive."
People from all around the world rallied in support of the lifeguards, "liking" their Facebook page and signing a petition on Change.org on their behalf.
PSY, the South Korean rapper behind the song, even asked by way of MTV for the mayor of El Monte to give the lifeguards their jobs back.