At will employment

A Colorado fire chief who was terminated last year while on leave for post traumatic stress disorder is suing his former department for $1 million. Former fire chief Bob Harvey is suing the Black Forest Fire Rescue Protection District for defamation, emotional harm and wrongful termination.

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A Texas fire chief who was terminated for allegedly overspending his budget, has filed suit alleging wrongful termination and defamation. Fire Chief Landon Smith was terminated earlier this month by the City of Van Alstyne because he allegedly overspent the fire department's budget by $180,000.

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A Michigan fire chief who was wrongly accused of criminal misconduct and terminated, has filed suit against a township alleging defamation, malicious prosecution, and retaliation for testifying in an earlier case. Marquette Township fire chief Bob Sims was suspended last December and terminated in February, 2015.

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A McAllen, Texas firefighter who was fired twice and reinstated both times has lost a discrimination and due process lawsuit against his department and fire chief. Last February, Robert Vargus sued McAllen and Chief Rafael Balderas alleging discrimination and harassment on account of age and disability and §1983 due process violations.

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A fire chief in New Hampshire has lost his bid to be reinstated. Strafford County Superior Court Judge Brian Tucker concluded that the Town of New Durham was within its rights to terminate Fire Chief Peter Varney without cause back in 2014.

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The expected lawsuit by former Atlanta Fire Chief Kelvin Cochran against the city has been filed alleging wrongful termination, religious discrimination and violation of his First Amendment rights. Atlanta Mayor Kasim Reed fired Chief Cochran in January after he refused the mayor’s request to resign.

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Today’s burning question: Back in 2013 I was facing some bogus criminal charges and my fire chief told me he would have to fire me or I could resign. He said if I resigned he would rehire me once the criminal case was wrapped up. The charges were dismissed and now he is refusing to rehire me. Can I sue? Answer: Yes, there are several legal theories upon which you can sue

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Atlanta Mayor Kasim Reed announced yesterday that Fire Chief Kelvin Cochran has been terminated after refusing his request to resign. Chief Cochran was suspended for 30 days in November after concerns were raised about comments in his new book, "Who Told You That You Were Naked", that condemned homosexuality and suggested women should be subservient to their man.

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Fire Chief David Fulmer has been waging the battle of his life as he fights to regain his reputation following being terminated from the West Licking Joint Fire District in 2012 and again 2014. Chief Fulmer was terminated in 2012 on vague charges related to computer misuse, but was widely believed to have been targeted for replacement due to animosity that had developed between him and the board of trustees

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A human resources director in Fernandina Beach, Florida who was terminated last month claims she is the victim of retaliation for having voiced “concerns regarding acts of gross mismanagement and misfeasance on the part of the City of Fernandina Beach’s Fire Department”.

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A Missouri fire protection district and its fire chief are facing a suit that claims they terminated a firefighter because she was trying to organize a union. Amber Rounseville is suing the Ebenezer Fire Protection District and Fire Chief Nelson Prewitt alleging violations of the Missouri Constitution, state collective bargaining laws, and the First Amendment’s freedom of association clause.

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The fire chief of Travis County Emergency Services District No. 4 has resigned under pressure from the district board after it was revealed that his two daughters and his future son-in-law were on the payroll. What is unclear from news reports is whether this was simply another firefighter being caught-up in an overly-broad nepotism policy, or whether ethical boundaries had been crossed in terms of hiring and supervision.

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Four Groton, Massachusetts firefighters have filed suit against their former department and eight town officials claiming wrongful termination, civil rights violations, defamation, emotional distress, and other charges.

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The fire chief in Boaz, Alabama has been terminated by the city council because he recorded conversations without the knowledge of those being recorded. Fire Chief Mike Sparks was terminated this evening for a “betrayal of trust” associated with his recording a hearing on July 22. According to media reports the hearing was described as a “promotion hearing”.

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