ADA

A California firefighter who retired in 2019 has filed suit claiming he was forced to resign due to discrimination and a hostile work environment based upon his age and disability. William Hatcher was a fire inspector/fire prevention specialist with the El Segundo Fire Department.

Read More »

A Kentucky medic has filed suit claiming she was forced to resign after she complained about sexual harassment, and that the fire department violated the Americans With Disabilities Act and the Family Medical Leave Act. Jamie Keith filed suit against Pleasure Ridge Park Fire Department.

Read More »

The Second Circuit Court of Appeals has reversed a lower court decision that concluded that FDNY has to allow firefighters with a skin condition an accommodation to have beards. In doing so the court concluded: “An accommodation is not reasonable within the meaning of the ADA if it is specifically prohibited by a binding safety regulation promulgated by a federal agency.”

Read More »

A Latino firefighter with FDNY has filed suit alleging discrimination and retaliation on the basis of race, national origin, disability, and military service. Joseph Mendoza filed suit last week in US District Court for the Eastern District of New York.

Read More »

A “Fire House Attendant” with the Setauket Fire Department on Long Island, New York, has filed suit alleging he was terminated in violation of state and federal disability laws. Ryan Kilmar filed suit today in US District Court for the Eastern District of New York naming the fire company, District Manager David Sterne and Dispatch Supervisor Janine Leute as defendants.

Read More »

The state law claims of a volunteer firefighter who suffered from “an ever-intensifying campaign of near-continuous hostility” on account of his Asperger's Syndrome have been dismissed, but his federal suit brought under the Americans With Disabilities Act will continue.

Read More »

A Texas firefighter who was terminated in 2019, has filed suit claiming he was the victim of age discrimination, disability discrimination, and retaliation. Jason January filed suit earlier this year in US District Court for the Southern District of Texas, naming the City of Huntsville as the sole defendant.

Read More »

The Louisiana Court of Appeals has affirmed a lower court ruling that the City of Kenner’s Civil Service Board wrongfully denied the appeal of an assistant chief who was forced to retire in 2018. The case was brought by Michael Voltolina, who was involuntarily retired after he was off on sick leave for one-year

Read More »

A Little Rock firefighter who was terminated last December after just six months on the job, has filed suit claiming disability discrimination associated with his autism. Austin Williams filed suit against the city of Little Rock claiming a violation of the Americans with Disabilities Act.

Read More »

An African American fire captain with the Albany Fire Department whose promotion to battalion chief was rescinded after he suffered an off-duty medical emergency, has filed suit alleging race discrimination and disability discrimination.

Read More »

Thirty Jacksonville, Florida firefighters have filed suit claiming the department’s policy that SCBA qualified firefighters be clean-shaven discriminates against them on the basis of their race and disability. All thirty are African American firefighters who suffer from Pseudofolliculitis Barbae.

Read More »

A deaf Idaho volunteer firefighter who was terminated for insubordination in 2019 has filed suit claiming disability discrimination under state and federal law. Matthew Burgoyne filed suit today against the Rock Creek Firefighters Association, Inc. and the Rock Creek Rural Fire Protection District accusing both entities of discrimination.

Read More »

In a ruling handed down yesterday, the City of Chicago was successful in getting part of a sexual discrimination suit brought against the fire department dismissed, but the US District Court for the Northern District of Illinois has ruled that a female fire-paramedic candidate who filed an earlier suit in 2016 will be allow to pursue certain of her claims in a second suit filed last year.

Read More »

An applicant to a volunteer fire department in Prince George’s County who was rejected because he is deaf, has filed suit claiming disability discrimination. Charles Hine filed suit last week in US District Court for the District of Maryland naming Prince George’s County and Prince George’s County Fire and Emergency Medical Services Department.

Read More »