Facebook Poll Prompts Sexual Harassment Investigation in Queensland

Posted by: Curt Varone September 28, 2014 1 Comment

Firefighters in Queensland, Australia are under investigation for creating a Facebook “poll” to rate which of their female colleagues would be best in bed.

According to The Courier-Mail, several female firefighters who were targets of the poll have been transferred and an outside investigation is now underway. Both the accused men and the targeted women are members of the United Firefighters Union, and as should be the case here in the US, both groups have been provided with separate union reps.

The Queensland Fire and Emergency Services reports that external investigators have been appointed and the investigation is ongoing.

More on the story.

About Curt Varone

Curt Varone has over 40 years of fire service experience and 30 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) and Fire Officer's Legal Handbook (2007), and is a contributing editor for Firehouse Magazine writing the Fire Law column.
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