Posts Categorized: Contests
Decision in Miami-Dade Facebook Case
Statter911 just broke the story about Miami-Dade fire captain Brian Beckmann’s demotion to firefighter, and the requirement that he undergo a psychological examination and take diversity training.
Captain Beckmann created a furor after he posted com…
Read More »
Wrongful Terminations and Employment Discrimination in the News
Three fire service employment related suits are in the news today, stretching from Ohio to Washington state.
In the first case, the city of Westlake, Ohio announced plans to appeal a trial court ruling that reinstated former Fire Chief Richard Pietric…
Read More »
Pittsfield Military Discrimination Suit Settled
The Department of Justice has settled a lawsuit over military discrimination with the Pittsfield, Massachusette, Fire Department.
The suit alleged that Pittsfield firefighter Jeffrey Rawson was passed over for promotion to lieutenant because of his …
Read More »
Facebook Comments Spark Outrage
The fallout over the Facebook comments by Miami-Dade Captain Brian Beckmann on the Trayvon Martin shooting case continue to keep folks in Florida and beyond on edge.
Captain Beckmann's commentary on "urban youth” and “ignorant, pathetic” paren…
Read More »
Oregon Firefighter With Pacemaker Settles Discrimination Suit
A female firefighter from Eugene, Oregon who was prohibited from returning to duty with a pacemaker, has settled a disability and gender discrimination suit against the fire department for $285,000.
Carolyn McCann suffered a cardiac event on December…
Read More »
Iowa Firefighter Alleges Pregnancy Discrimination Over Denial of Light Duty
A Clinton, Iowa firefighter has filed a gender and pregnancy discrimination suit because she was not granted a light duty position to accommodate her pregnancy.
Karen McQuistion is a firefighter with the Clinton Fire Department who became pregnant la…
Read More »
US Sues Texas City Over Demotion Related to “Wetback” Complaint
The US Government has filed suit against the city of Selma, Texas alleging that the city unlawfully demoted a fire lieutenant after he complained about the fire chief’s use of an ethnic slur.
Fire lieutenant Adam Sadler objected to Fire Chief Ric Br…
Read More »
Ithaca Firefighter Claims Discrimination over Middle Eastern Ethnicity
The case of an Ithaca, New York firefighter is in the news as one of four employment discrimination cases the city is battling.
Mark Hassan was terminated by the Ithaca Fire Department in April, 2011. He claims the termination was retaliation for a co…
Read More »
Texas Chief Loses Suit Against Union
A Texas appeals court has rejected the appeal of a former fire chief who sued the firefighters' union for engaging in a “sinister and ill conceived" campaign to cause his termination.
Michael Pruitt was the first African-American Fire Chief in Long…
Read More »
Roanoke Sex in Station Suit Dismissed
The epic case of Roanoke fire captain Dennis Croft turned another page last week with a Federal court ruling dismissing his sex discrimination lawsuit.
Captain Croft was fired back in 2010 after his ex-girlfriend, Deborah Van Ness, told fire departmen…
Read More »
Your Winners – The 2012 Fire & EMS Blogs of the Year
After weeks of nominations, voting, and judging...the blogs above beat out all the rest!
Congratulations to the following blogs for being named the 2012 Blogs of the Year!
Read More »
Salem Oregon Settles Military USERRA Discrimination Claims Against Firefighters
The city of Salem, Oregon has settled the claims of five present and former firefighters alleging discrimination under the Uniformed Services Employment and Reemployment Rights Act (USERRA). All five were members of the Oregon National Guard.
The fir…
Read More »
Voting for Your Favorite Fire and/or EMS Blog of 2012
Voting has begun for the Blog of the Year 2012. Vote for your favorite Fire & EMS Blog now through the 21st!
Read More »
FDNY Ordered to Pay Up to $128M in Damages
In a long anticipated ruling, Federal District Court Judge Nicholas Garaufis has ordered the city of New York to pay damages to past minority applicants to FDNY a total of up to $128,696,803. The ruling is part of the 2007 discrimination suit brought by …
Read More »
Atlanta Cheating Scandal Ruling Rescinds Promotions
A judge has ordered 5 promotions rescinded and awarded $320,000 in damages to three Atlanta firefighters in an ongoing lawsuit that alleged race-related cheating.
Fulton County Superior Court Judge Kelly A. Lee issued the ruling yesterday. The decisio…
Read More »
Station Modifications and Gender Discrimination
Today’s Burning Question: My department is an all career medium sized department in the mid-west with 7 firehouses. We recently promoted several engineers, which prompted a series of transfers. In the process a female firefighter (engineer) was denied …
Read More »
Nominate Your Favorite Blog. 2012 Fire & EMS Blog of the Year Contest
Hosted by EMS1, FireRescue1 and FireCritic.com, and sponsored by the American Military University, this contest has the goal of finding the best bloggers in the EMS and fire industries.
Read More »
Fire Inspector Alleges Race Discrimination in Norwalk, Connecticut
Today's Burning Question: I am a firefighter who did not get a promotion because of my race and its not right. I was senior to the guy who they gave the promotion to. I scored 9 points higher on the written exam – which I consider to be a truly objecti…
Read More »
Erie Seeks Reversal of Verdict in Favor of Wolski
The city of Erie, Pennsylvania is asking a Federal court judge to reverse a jury verdict in the wrongful termination/discrimination case of female firefighter Mary Wolski. Recall two weeks ago the jury granted Wolski $206,000 in back pay and reinstateme…
Read More »
Judge Rules County Not Liable for Discrimination But Union Is
A Federal court judge in Florida has overturned a jury verdict against Pasco County in a discrimination suit filed by two firefighters. The two firefighters, Anthony Booth and Jerry Brown, claimed their captain discriminated against them on the basis of …
Read More »
Atlanta Jury Finds Problem with Investigation of Promotional Exam
Yesterday, a Fulton County jury found that Atlanta Fire Rescue failed to fully investigate allegations of cheating on a 2010 promotional exam. The suit was brought by three Atlanta firefighters claiming that certain black firefighters were coached and gi…
Read More »
Huntsville Fire Faces Sexual Harassment Quandry
Today’s Burning Question: I am a fire chief and two of my firefighters, a male and a female, were in a relationship that appears to have ended badly. They continued to work together until recently when they filed sexual harassment charges against each …
Read More »
Buffalo Firefighters Awarded $2.5 Million in Reverse Discrimination Suit
Not sure how we missed this last week, but twelve white firefighters from Buffalo were awarded $2.5 million in a reverse discrimination suit that was filed back in 2007. The suit alleged that the city purposely allowed promotional lists to expire so that…
Read More »
Another Facebook Question in Florida