Tag Archives: race discrimination

An FDNY fire lieutenant who claims he was removed from serving in a color guard at an FDNY Vulcan Society event on account of his race, has filed a discrimination suit. Lt. Daniel McWilliams filed suit last Friday naming Vulcan Society President Regina Wilson, the Vulcan Society, the city and FDNY as defendants.

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The US Fifth Circuit Court of Appeals has ruled against two Houston firefighters who claim they were discriminated and retaliated against on account of their race. Jesse O'Quinn and Albert Bennett, both African-Americans, claim their problems began in 2009 after O’Quinn reported a noose in a firefighter’s locker.

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A Suffolk County Superior Court judge has refused the request of the City of Brookline, Massachusetts to stay a Massachusetts Civil Service Commission order to reinstate an African American firefighter who was terminated in 2016. The case involves firefighter Gerald Alston, whose legal problems have been chronicled here on three prior occasions.

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The organizers of a now-defunct music festival called "Pueblo Fest" are suing the host city of Tulare, California claiming its fire and police departments sabotaged the event with unreasonable requirements and excessive costs. The suit was filed by Esau and Euler Torres in US District Court naming the city, Police Chief Wes Hensley, and Fire Chief Willard Epps.

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An Oakland captain is suing the city and Fire Chief Darren White claiming he was wrongly passed over for a promotion in the fire marshal’s office because his son was convicted of arson. Captain Howard Holt filed the suit last week alleging race discrimination, age discrimination, retaliation, and a host of state law claims.

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A Mount Vernon firefighter who served briefly as deputy fire commissioner has filed suit against the city, the mayor, a captain and a chief accusing them of harassment, race discrimination, retaliation and whistleblower violations. Ernest Richardson filed suit against the City of Mount Vernon, the Mount Vernon Fire Department, Mayor Richard Thomas, Ops Chief al Farid Salahuddin and Captain Michael St. John.

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Four Miami firefighters who were terminated in 2017 for their role in defacing photos belonging to a black fire lieutenant are now facing criminal charges related to the incident. The Miami-Dade State Attorney's Office filed criminal mischief charges against Harold Santana, Kevin Meizoso, Justin Rumbaugh and Alejandro Sese for their role in the September 9, 2017 prank gone-wrong.

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A Muslim firefighter who claims he suffered years of harassment because of his race and religion, has settled his federal court lawsuit with the city and a lieutenant. Raheem Hassan filed suit earlier this year alleging race discrimination, religious discrimination, sexual harassment, retaliation, discrimination under state law, discrimination under city law, and violations of his 1st, 4th, 5th and 14th Amendment Rights.

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An applicant to FDNY who failed the candidate physical abilities test three times, has lost his race discrimination and retaliation lawsuit to be appointed to the department. Kevin Walker, 47, who was a priority hire, claims the PATs he failed in 2013 were unfairly administered in retaliation for his involvement in the earlier Vulcan Society case

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A firefighter recruit who failed a final practical exercise involving ventilating a roof with a chainsaw and then failed a retest, is now suing Toledo claiming instructors gave him wrong information so he would be terminated. Major Smith III is accusing the city, the mayor, the fire chief and retired fire chief of race discrimination.

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A Fort Wayne captain who requested a demotion last January and resigned in October is suing the city claiming a racially hostile work environment forced him to do both. Elbert Starks claims that starting in 2017 he was subjected to racially hostile comments from co-workers.

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A discrimination suit by a Cuban American firefighter in Warren, Michigan has taken an unexpected turn as attorneys for the city have asked a federal judge to dismiss the suit or sanction the plaintiff-firefighter on the eve of trial. Jose ...

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A white firefighter in Mississippi has filed suit against his home town claiming that he was passed over in the hiring process despite being the only applicant who was already certified as a firefighter, so that the city could hire black applicants even though they were not certified. Dylan Shane Davis filed suit last week in US District Court against the City of West Point

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An Austin firefighter cadet who was fired in 2016 for poor performance has filed suit claiming he was the victim of race discrimination. Damon Easter filed suit last Friday in US District Court accusing the department and academy instructors of being on a “continuous crusade” against him...

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