Discrimination

A probationary firefighter who was injured in each of three fire academies, and found to be medically unable to return to duty to complete her probationary period, has lost her race, gender, and disability discrimination lawsuit against the Denver Fire Department.

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A former captain with an Alabama fire department has filed suit claiming the failure to promote him to battalion chief in 2020 was due to his race, and that after complaining about it he was retaliated against. Captain Demetrius Webb filed suit in federal court against the City of Homewood and Fire Chief Nicholas Hill.

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A Texas fire department that has been in the Fire Law News twice recently, is once again facing a lawsuit. The Magnolia Fire Department, Montgomery County Emergency Services District #10, and two chief officers are facing a sexual harassment suit brought by a former firefighter - assistant office manager.

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A lawsuit filed in 2021 by a 46-year-old recruit who was terminated from the Howard County Fire Department’s fire academy in 2018, has been dismissed following a grant of summary judgment in favor of the county. Robert D. Whittaker, III, claimed he was the victim of age discrimination.

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The Columbia River Fire & Rescue is facing a $20 million lawsuit filed by recently fired Fire Chief Joel Medina. The suit filed in US District Court for the District of Oregon names the fire district, four members of the fire district board, IAFF Local 3215 St. Helen’s Professional Fire Fighters Association, and several current and former officers of Local 3215.

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The sensational case of an African American firefighter in Rochester, NY who claims to have been forced to attend a racist house party while on duty, has taken a dramatic turn as the party’s host has a filed a defamation suit against the firefighter’s attorney and an elected official who made public statements about what occurred.

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The Mobile firefighter who was fired last year over a tattoo, has filed suit against the city alleging race, gender, sexual orientation and religion discrimination; hostile work environment; retaliation; and violation of the Equal Protection clause of the 14th Amendment. Kay’Ana Adams filed suit today in US District Court for the Southern District of Alabama.

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The Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals has ruled that the City of Stockton fired former Fire Chief Ronald Hittle in 2011 for legitimate, non-discriminatory reasons, and that the chief was unable to show these reasons were pretextual excuses to justify religious discrimination.

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A Lansing firefighter who was terminated for posting the police chief’s personal cellphone number on Facebook in 2021, has filed suit claiming race discrimination, violation of his free speech rights, violation of equal protection, and violation of Michigan's anti-discrimination law. Michael Lynn filed suit yesterday in US District Court.

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The North Carolina Office of Emergency Medical Services has agreed to grant accommodations to a deaf firefighter with a learning disability that will allow him to retake the EMT final exam. Austin Freidt, a volunteer firefighter with the Cornatzer-Dulin Volunteer Fire Department, filed suit in 2021 after having failed the exam “multiple times.”

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Two African-American captains with the Mobile Fire Department who were disciplined after coming to the defense of an African-American female firefighter who was being investigated for a tattoo, have filed suit claiming race discrimination and retaliation. The suit was filed by Captain Jason Craig and Captain Rodrick Shoots, Sr. in US District Court for the Southern District of Alabama.

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The US District Court for the Southern District of Ohio has dismissed four of seven counts in a discrimination lawsuit brought by a Cincinnati fire captain. The captain, Janos Roper, will be allowed to proceed on the three remaining counts.

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The New York Daily News is reporting that recently filed court documents in the contentious age discrimination suit brought against Commissioner Laura Kavanaugh by several FDNY chiefs alleges that she was slow to react to the fire problem with e-bike lithium-ion batteries for political reasons.

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A San Antonio firefighter who resigned in 2021 has filed suit alleging he was being discriminated against on account of his sexual orientation. Austin Tschirhart filed suit in federal court naming the city and Lieutenant Gerrilyn Casals as defendants.

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