NJ Fire Department Settles Sexual Harassment Case for $1.1 Million

Posted by: Curt Varone December 3, 2014 0

The terms of a settlement announced last month by a New Jersey borough have finally been disclosed, and the female firefighter who claimed to have been sexually harassed will be receiving $1.1 million.

According to news reports, Kerry “Kira” Mansueto has agreed to accept $1.1 million to settle the lawsuit she filed in 2011 against the Borough of Cateret. The story was in the headlines recently when Mayor Daniel Reiman vowed to take disciplinary action against the male firefighters involved in the scandal years after the allegations first surfaced. The mayor’s vow followed a news expose into the case by Home News Tribune and MyCentralJersey.com reporter Sergio Bichao.

MyCentralJersey.com quoted Mayor Reiman as saying “Let me be clear: The settlement of the civil legal matter does not mean that the borough accepts any or all claims in the initial complaint as fact. However, based on the investigation to date, there appears to be evidence of behavior that is disturbing and unacceptable — and there is no department or office in this community where such things will be tolerated.”

Mansueto and her attorneys are claiming that Mayor Reiman’s failure to address her concerns are partially responsible for the harassment continuing for as long as it did. Calling the Mayor’s statement a “crock”, Mansueto’s attorney, Alan Genitempo was quoted as saying “She asked them to investigate. If they had taken action back then, there never would have been a lawsuit. They failed to recognize their obligations. I think that they did what people should never do and that is to take the words of the harasser over the victim without ever speaking to her.”

Mansueto herself was quoted as saying: “The mayor blew me off. He wouldn’t return my calls. His calendar was always booked. The fact that all that happened and now the mayor is saying that I never reported anything is very, very disturbing.”

Here is a copy of the settlement: Mansueto-v-Carteret-settlement-agreement

More on the story.

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.
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