Fire Law Blog Fire Service and Public Safety Legal Issues Blog by Curt Varone
The City of Wilmington has agreed to settle the claims of five white firefighters who allege they were the victims of reverse discrimination in the enforcement of the city’s residency rule.
The five firefighters, Jonathan Hitch, Stephen Sherlock, Adam Risden, James Grieco, and Thomas Cunningham, filed a complaint with the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) claiming they were being illegally harassed by investigations that were initiated in 2016 to ensure compliance with the city’s residency requirements. The firefighters claims that then Fire Chief Anthony Goode was responsible for the harassment.
The settlement calls for each of the firefighters to recieve $15,000, for a total of $75,000. In exchange, the firefighters agreed to dropped all claims against the city and Chief Goode.
The City has agreed to provide anti-harassment training to Wilmington Fire Department personnel, and all future residency investigations for fire department personnel will be conducted by the City’s Residency Review Board.
Chief Goode is now retired. More on the story.
