Fire Law Podcast – FDNY Disability Pension Used to Settle Discrimination Suit

Posted by: Curt Varone August 17, 2015 1 Comment

In this edition of Fire Law, Curt discusses the controversial settlement of an FDNY discrimination suit with Attorney Peter J. Gleason, himself a retired FDNY firefighter. Peter represented FDNY firefighter Kevin Simpkins who was awarded a disability pension earlier this year. The settlement made for sensational headlines. Consider the following from the NY Post on May 22, 2015:

He’s had a much better run in court than battling fires.

Twelve-year FDNY firefighter Kevin Simpkins — the public face for a racial-discrimination class action by minority firefighters the city settled for $98 million — has won another jackpot from the de Blasio administration.

Under a settlement finalized with the city and filed in Brooklyn federal court on Wednesday, the litigious firefighter will retire at a 75 percent disability pension.

Let’s go beyond the headlines.

 

Mentioned in the Podcast:

KSimpkins2FDelValle

Photo

About Curt Varone

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.
© Copyright 2017, All Rights Reserved. | FireLawBlog.com & Curt Varone | Privacy Policy | Terms of Use
x

Check Also

Suit Against FD Alleges False Arrest and Conspiracy

A lawsuit accusing a volunteer fire department, two firefighters, three police officers, and two law enforcement agencies with assault, battery, false arrest, conspiracy, and a host of civil rights violations, has been removed to the US District Court for the Eastern District of New York. Steven Makowsky filed suit earlier this year in Nassau County Supreme Court.

KCMO Challenges Arbitration Award in Triple Fatal Crash

The City of Kansas City is appealing an arbitration decision that reduced the disciplinary penalty for the firefighter responsible for the 2021 triple-fatal apparatus crash to a three-day suspension without pay. Dominic Biscari was driving Kansas City’s Pumper 19, when it ran a red light, collided with an SUV, struck several parked cars, came to rest in a building, and in the process killed three people.