administration-leadership

Trenton firefighters union president Wayne Wolk has accused Fire Director Qareeb Bashir of demanding that a deputy chief “find something” to charge two fire officers with in the aftermath of a bizarre retaliation suit. According to NJ.com, that officer, Deputy Chief Robert Tharp, has opted to resign rather than carry out the Director’s order.

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Salt Lake City’s former fire marshal who was demoted back to captain earlier this year has filed a whistleblower lawsuit against the city, Mayor Jackie Biskupski, former Fire Chief Brian Dale, Acting Fire Chief Karl Lieb and Assistant Fire Chief Rusty McMicken.

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Former Palm Beach Firefighter Jeremy DeRosa is suing the Town of Palm Beach, a fire department assistant chief, and the town’s risk manager for unspecified damages following what can only be described as roller coaster of events spanning the last four years.

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An internal FDNY memo assigning the members of Marine 1 to an election night fireworks detail on the Hudson is creating quite a stir in New York City. The detail is scheduled for November 8, 2016 at 9:30pm, just 30 minutes after the polls close in New York.

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A Pennsylvania Fire Chief has been terminated for taking a ladder truck out of town to a funeral for a firefighter from a neighboring department. The Slatington Borough Council voted to terminate Fire Chief Keith Weaver for insubordination last week.

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Today’s burning question: Is there an exception for firefighters who are registered sex offenders who have to respond to prohibited locations such as schools? Answer: The more important question is why is a registered sex offender allowed to be a firefighter? An Oak Grove Thatch firefighter has been arrested for violating registered sex offender restrictions.

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Today’s burning question: Does the FLSA’s 7k Exemption apply to per diem firefighters? It would seem an employer could load up per diem employees and thereby manipulate hours to avoid overtime liability. Answer: You raise a good point about manipulation, but the FLSA makes no distinction between full-time, part-time, or per diem firefighters.

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A West Virginia fire department is being sued by a former member who claims he was discriminated against on account of his ethnicity and retaliated against because he spoke out about concerns. Leonel Caso resigned from the Star City Volunteer Fire Department in January, 2015

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A Minneapolis fire captain has filed suit against the department alleging she is the victim of sexual harassment and retaliation. Vicki Jung alleges that after she reported a fellow fire captain, Tom Fellegy, for sexual misconduct and harassment in 2014, she was retaliated against.

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The San Francisco Fire Department has been in the headlines quite a bit lately, with allegations of sexual harassment leading to the transfer of 10 officers, the reported theft of fire department equipment by a firefighter, and two members accused of sexual misconduct in a moving ambulance.

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Today’s burning question: Do we have to provide separate sleeping quarters and bathroom facilities for male and female employees? Answer: While there are no requirements that fire departments provide separate facilities for men and women, providing separate facilities is a wise move that can head off a host of headaches down the road.

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Today’s burning question: Is a fire department secretary entitled to comp time? Admittedly she is a fire department employee, but she is a civilian employee of the city. Answer: First of all, no one is “entitled” to comp time, not even firefighters. The FLSA permits public employers to allow employees to accrue and use comp time.

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A Michigan firefighter who was fired last week has responded with a federal lawsuit accusing the city, the city manager and the city’s public safety director of violating his 1st and 14th Amendment rights. Thomas Saladino was a 23-year veteran of the Wyoming Fire Department

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A Nashville district chief is under investigation over Facebook posts he made that the department leadership characterized as “racial, stereotypical, and threatening toward members of the public.”

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