Posts Categorized: Sherman Frederick
Facebook ‘Likes’ Not Protected As Free Speech for VA Sheriffs
Facebook 'Likes' not protected as free speech, judge rules (via FCW)
U.S. District Judge Raymond Jackson issued the ruling in a case brought by six civilian employees of the Hampton, Va., sheriff's departme…
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 »
Weekend Roundup of Cases
This week saw two cases we have discussed recently - resolved. The cases are from two different states - both cases involve fire captains… both involve other jobs the captains had… and in both cases that captains won.
The first case involved Evans…
Read More »
Ohio Firefighter Ordered Reinstated
An Ohio firefighter terminated following a positive cocaine test has been ordered reinstated by 8th Ohio District Court of Appeals.
The decision issued on March 12, 2012 involved firefighter Anthony DeCarlo, of the Parma Fire Department, who was termi…
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 »
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 »
City to Appeal Reinstatement Order of Medic who Flushed Drugs
An Ohio firefighter paramedic who was terminated for taking illegal drugs from an incident scene and later destroying them in 2010, has been ordered reinstated by an arbitrator. North Royalton firefighter Richard Urich responded to the scene of a heroin …
Read More »
PA Medic Claims Termination Over Supervisor’s Cursing Is Religious Discrimination
A Pennsylvania paramedic who was terminated last May, has filed a discrimination lawsuit alleging he was fired due to his religion.
Medic Paul Newell claims a supervisor’s use of vulgar language prompted him to file a complaint, which in turn led to…
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 »
Erie Firefighter to Get Her Job Back
The Erie firefighter who was terminated from the department after she tried to commit suicide by setting fire to clothes in a bathtub, has won her job back. Mary Wolski, 45, the department’s first female firefighter, set the fire hoping that the smok…
Read More »
Controversial West Palm Fire Captain Beats DUI Charge
A controversial West Palm Beach firefighter is back in the news following his acquittal on DUI charges. Fire Captain Rick Curtis was originally convicted of drunk driving back in May, sentenced to 3 days in jail, and terminated from West Palm Beach Fire …
Read More »
Terminated Riverside Fire Chief Sues Under ADA
An Illinois fire chief who was terminated by the Village of Riverside last February has filed suit against the village and a fire officer who repeatedly complained about him drinking on duty.
Fire Chief Kevin Mulligan filed suit in Federal Court on Nove…
Read More »
Fire Chief’s Termination Met With Protests
It is hardly unusual these days for a fire chief to be terminated. Fire chiefs are under attack from all sides – including angry firefighters, and upset political bosses.
What is unusual is when a community rallies around a fired fire chief. That is…
Read More »
Not Your Typical Embezzlement Case: Virginia Chief Fights Back
There have been a number of fire service embezzlement cases that have been covered in this blog the past few years. Most involve the theft of large sums from volunteer fire companies by trusted officials. A few involve thefts by elected union officials …
Read More »
Kansas Chief Seeks $1.3 million for Sex Discrimination
A deputy chief who was laid off by the Topeka Fire Department in 2010 due to budget cuts, has filed a claim for $1.3 million alleging that the elimination of her position, and the refusal to rehire her for a training position, was gender based and retali…
Read More »
Florida Firefighter Files Wrongful Termination Suit For Union Comments
A Florida firefighter has filed a wrongful termination suit claiming he was illegally fired last March in retaliation for his support for a union. John Carter was fired from the Freeport Fire Department on March 17, 2011 allegedly because he committed se…
Read More »
Boston Local Sues Over 7 EMT Related Resignations
Boston Firefighters, IAFF Local 718 filed suit against the city today following the forced resignation of seven probationary firefighters who failed to obtain then EMT license within their first year of service.
The local alleges the EMT requirement h…
Read More »
Terminated West Virginia Firefighter Reinstated – But Concerns Continue
A strange case out of West Virginia seems to be coming somewhat back down to earth. Firefighter AJ Shinn, 34, of the Nitro Fire Department was accused of being 2 minutes late for work on April 14, 2011. He was given a 2 day suspension without pay, a…
Read More »
Oregon Firefighter’s Family Sues Department Over Suicide
The family of a veteran Salem, Oregon firefighter who committed suicide in 2009, has filed a wrongful death lawsuit.
Read More »
Texas Firefighter Reinstated By Arbitrator
A Texas firefighter has his job back thanks to a decision by an arbitrator. Firefighter Robert Vargas of the McAllen Fire Department was terminated in January after he lied to investigators about a minor Halloween mishap with an engine company. Th…
Read More »
North Carolina Court of Appeals Uphold Validity of Chief’s Contract
On Tuesday, the North Carolina Court of Appeals issued a ruling in the case of Fire Chief Steven Earl Elliott, formerly of the Enka-Candler Fire and Rescue Department. Chief Elliott had an employment agreement with the department through October 31,…
Read More »
West Palm Beach Controversy Takes Strange Turn
A controversial West Palm Beach fire captain who was recently convicted of DUI, has won a new trial based on judicial misconduct. He now wants his job back and claims the entire matter is part of a conspiracy against him.
Captain Rick Curtis has been …
Read More »
Fire Department Discipline: How Much is Enough?
Fire Department Discipline: How Much is Enough?
A career firefighter and his company officer are accused of engaging in a road rage incident while their engine company is responding to an alarm.
A three volunteer firefighters are accused of sexuall…
Read More »
Demoted Roanoke Captain Sues For Gender Discrimination Over Sex In Station
An unusual case that was in the news a few weeks ago as a discipline case has resurfaced as a Federal Court sex discrimination case. The details of the case are complicated, so let’s run through them quickly.
On April 15, 2010, Deborah Van Ness, a…
Read More »
Bourne Firefighter Alleges Free Speech Violation in Facebook Termination Case
The Bourne, Massachusetts firefighter who was fired last February for a series of postings on Facebook has filed suit in Federal court challenging his termination and alleging that the Town violated his 1st Amendment rights.
Richard Doherty was termi…
Read More »
