A Federal District Court jury in California awarded a mother $2.5 million for sex discrimination arising from her departure from the Fresno Fire Department. The woman, Michelle Maher, was a Fresno Fire recruit in 2005, but alleges she was discriminated against and forced to leave the fire academy in part because she was a single mother.
The verdict was announced on Friday, November 13, 2009 after a three week trial. Channel 47 has video coverage of the verdict including a brief interview with Maher.