Sexual Harassment

A female firefighter who was secretly recorded by a voyeuristic colleague has filed suit against the fire department and the member. The lawsuit accuses former firefighter Patrick Nicholson, East Jefferson Fire Rescue and Jefferson County with violating the victim’s civil rights, wiretap violations, invasion of privacy, intentional infliction of emotional distress, and trespass.

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In this episode of Fire Law Roundup, Brad and Curt discuss a LODD apparatus accident case out of Texas, a reckless driving with an engine case from Virginia, a fire chief theft case out of Louisiana, sexual harassment cases from Texas and Virginia, and several more from beyond the blog.

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The US Fifth Circuit Court of Appeals has reinstated a sexual harassment suit brought against the Houston Fire Department by a female firefighter. Melinda Abbt brought the action in 2019 after discovering that male firefighters obtained a nude video of her, and watched it multiple times over a period of years.

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The US District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia has refused to dismiss the state law claims of a fire investigator with Norfolk Fire-Rescue who alleges sexual harassment, discrimination, retaliation, and violation of Virginia’s Whistleblower Protection Act. Karen Baka filed the suit last year.

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A sexual harassment and discrimination lawsuit filed by a division chief with the Ashville Fire Department will proceed, despite most of the claims having been dismissed. That was the bottom line of a lengthy ruling by US District Court Chief Judge Martin Reidinger.

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In this episode, Brad and Curt discuss the dismissal of a lawsuit against the Dallas Fire Department over an alleged assault of a homeless, mentally disable man; the settlement of a discrimination lawsuit resulting in a former fire chief receiving $400k... and more

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A New Mexico firefighter who claims she was forced to resign due to a sexually hostile work environment has filed suit against the city, the mayor, the city manager, the fire chief, a battalion chief and a captain. Former Hobbs firefighter Caitlin Schultze filed suit in US District Court for the District of New Mexico.

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In this episode, Brad and Curt discuss a sexual harassment lawsuit out of Hartford, Connecticut; a $100 million lawsuit filed by three Dallas firefighters injured in an explosion; a lawsuit against Sacramento Metro fire over a boating accident; a lawsuit against Honolulu fire over a dropped patient; and a wrongful death lawsuit against an SCBA manufacturer and those who maintained them.

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Two fire officers with the Hartford Fire Department have filed suit claiming they were subjected to a sexually hostile work environment and retaliation. Captain Shelly Carter and Lieutenant Rosemarie Cataldo filed suit in US District Court for the District of Connecticut.

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In this episode, Curt reviews a lawsuit filed by several Massachusetts firefighters that blames AFFF and PPE manufacturers for their cancers; a ruling in an overtime lawsuit in Reading, PA; a decision that a city does not have to providing ...

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An Atlanta Fire Captain who was suspended for fifteen days over patient care issues, has filed suit claiming her discipline and the city’s failure to promote her to an EMS supervisor’s position was retaliation for a gender discrimination complaint she filed. Captain Andrea Nicholle Brock filed suit in US District Court alleging gender discrimination, sexual harassment, and retaliation.

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Mobile Fire-Rescue is investigating allegations by a female firefighter that a fire captain inappropriately touched her in the fire station while on duty. According to WKRG, the both the city and the US Department of Justice are investigating the allegations that reportedly occurred in December, 2021.

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A female Oregon firefighter who was terminated from her volunteer fire department in 2019 has filed suit alleging sexual harassment, retaliation, and an assortment of related claims. Amy Lenz filed suit in Clatsop County Circuit Court against the Knappa Fire District.

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The husband of a female firefighter who committed suicide allegedly due to sexual harassment, has filed suit against the fire department and a lieutenant accused of perpetrating the harassment. Daniel Zaboroski filed suit earlier this year as the executor for the estate of his wife, Nicole Hladik.

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