Fire Law Blog Fire Service and Public Safety Legal Issues Blog by Curt Varone

Tag Archives: interrogation

Burning Question About Bully Bosses and Insubordination

Today’s burning question: My immediate supervisor recently called me into a conference room and berated me, called me a sandbagger and used numerous expletives (predominantly dropping the "F bomb"). It got so bad, the administrative assistant down the hall heard the berating and walked in because she was concerned about my welfare. As he was in the middle of cussing me I stood up to leave and was told if I left I would face discipline and that I was ordered to sit down or face insubordination charges.

Weingarten Rights and Union Rep Availability

Today’s Burning Question: How does the Weingarten Rule apply during an administrative investigation when the union representatives will not make themselves available for the employee? Answer: The short answer is that a union that plays that game, plays it at ...

Curt Varone has over 45 years of fire service experience and 35 as a practicing attorney licensed in both Rhode Island and Maine. His background includes 29 years as a career firefighter in Providence (retiring as a Deputy Assistant Chief), as well as volunteer and paid on call experience. He is the author of two books: Legal Considerations for Fire and Emergency Services, (2006, 2nd ed. 2011, 3rd ed. 2014, 4th ed. 2022) and Fire Officer's Legal Handbook (2007), and is a contributing editor for Firehouse Magazine writing the Fire Law column.

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