Connecticut Fire District Facing First Amendment Suit

An elected official has filed suit against a Connecticut fire district claiming district officials have violated her First Amendment rights by prohibiting her from speaking at district board meetings. Christine Wakefield filed suit against the Dayville Fire District today in US District Court for the District of Connecticut.

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Flint Facing $50 Million Suit Over Fire Deaths

The long-awaited wrongful death lawsuit against the City of Flint and two firefighters has been filed by the mother of two boys who died after a housefire last year. Crystal Cooper claims that Sgt. Daniel Sniegocki and firefighter Michael Zlotek are responsible for the deaths of Zyaire and Lamar Mitchell.

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Louisiana Firefighters Claim Fingerprinting is Unconstitutional

Five Louisiana firefighters have filed suit claiming the fire department violated their civil rights last year by ordering them to be finger printed. Christopher Perre, Kevin Crossen, Mitchell Arbaugh, Michael Giarrusso and Brandon Barthel filed suit against the East Bank Consolidated Special Service Fire Protection District.

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Fire Law Roundup for February 6, 2023

In this episode of Fire Law Roundup for February 6, 2023, Brad and Curt discuss a ruling that the Jacksonville Fire Department’s no-beard rule is not discriminatory racially or disability-wise because it is based on an OSHA-requirement; a Palm Beach ...

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Court Upholds No-Beard Rule for Jacksonville Firefighters

A US District Court judge has granted judgment to the City of Jacksonville, dismissing a lawsuit filed by thirty African American firefighters who claimed that the city’s requirement that they be clean-shaven was discriminatory. The firefighters filed suit in 2020 alleging the city’s refusal to grant them a continuing accommodation to have closely cropped shadow beards constituted disability and race discrimination.

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Former Florida Firefighter Convicted of Wire Fraud

A former Palm Beach County firefighter has been convicted of fraudulently misappropriating $158,960 from a charity that helps folks who have cystic fibrosis. Elizabeth Genna Suarez, 34, was convicted of three counts of wire fraud yesterday by a federal court jury.

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KCK Firefighter Alleges Race Discrimination and Retaliation

A 20-year veteran Kansas City, Kansas firefighter has filed suit claiming he was the victim of race discrimination and retaliation. Leejamahl A. Washington alleges he was subjected to racial hostilities throughout much of his career, but conditions worsened after he testified in support of Jyan Harris. Harris won a $2.3 million case in 2021.

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Minnesota Fire Department Facing Age Discrimination Suit

An administrative services manager for the Rochester (MN) Fire Department has filed suit alleging age discrimination. Curtis Pronk filed suit last month claiming he was forced to resign effective August 31, 2021 to avoid his position being downgraded to a lower paying position.

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Fire Law Roundup for January 30, 2023

In this episode of Fire Law Roundup for January 30, 2023, Brad and Curt discuss a race discrimination lawsuit filed by a paid-on-call lieutenant in Michigan; a ruling by the New York Supreme Court Appellate Division that four fire departments ...

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Michigan Lieutenant Alleges Race Discrimination

A paid-on-call lieutenant in Michigan has filed suit claiming his fire department discriminated against him on account of his race. Lieutenant Gary Reid alleges that the Farmington Hills Fire Department changed the requirements for promotion and transferred him to prevent him from promoting.

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Fire Officer Overtime – Fire Law VLOG

In this edition of Fire Law VLOG, Curt and Bill Maccarone discuss three recent settlements involving fire officers and overtime. The three settlements involve lawsuits filed under the Fair Labor Standard Act (FLSA) – and in particular whether these officers ...

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Four NY Fire Departments Not Liable For Housefire

The Appellate Division of the New York Supreme Court has ruled that four fire departments sued by a homeowner after a fire cannot be held liable for negligence because they did not owe the homeowner a special duty. Franciszek C. Kulon filed suit against the Neversink Fire Department, Liberty Fire District, Loch Sheldrake Fire Department, and Grahamsville Volunteer Fire Department claiming they were negligent when they responded to a fire in his home.

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