Chicago Fire Faces Sexual Harassment Suit
UPDATED August 13, 2014: The Chicago Fire Department is facing a sexual harassment suit that goes right to the top of the organization: former fire commissioner John Brooks. Former payroll auditor Deidre Green claims Commissioner Brooks pursued her sexually and then targeted her for a layoff when she refused his advances.
Green filed the suit in January, 2014.
CBS Chicago quoted Green as saying:
- “Every time I think about it, it brings tears to my eyes. I just want to be made whole because I feel I was so wronged”
- “I was sexually harassed. They tried to fire me. I had a semi-nervous breakdown and was off work for two years on medical leave. I only got 67 percent of my pay. I wasn’t the first to go through this and I won’t be the last. If I get some restitution, maybe this behavior will stop. Or maybe other women will have the courage to report it.”
- “When he first approached me, I was kind of stunned. I had never gone through anything like this before. He was just becoming commissioner. He had authority over my job. I didn’t know what to say”
- “It was humiliating, horrific and sad. I don’t want anybody else to have to go through this.”
Back when the allegations first surfaced in 2010, Commissioner Brooks denied Green’s allegations stating: “I do not proposition women. I don’t have to. Women usually proposition me. God has blessed me like that.”
Those remarks prompted Mayor Richard M. Daley to order an independent investigation of the harassment claims that concluded that Brooks’ “behavior and comments were inappropriate for the workplace” but did not amount to wrongdoing. Brooks resigned in 2010, but later sued the city claiming he was wrongfully forced to resign over allegations that were proven to be false.
In 2012 the EEOC concluded there was “reasonable cause to believe” that Green was a victim of sexual harassment.
Here is a copy of Green’s complaint: Deidre Green v City of Chicago
Better luck
While I appreciate your helping me provide accurate information to firefighters and attorneys – you certainly do not need to get nasty and personal. And this goes for anyone who sees something here on Fire Law Blog that you believe is incorrect: a simple statement about what you think is wrong will get me to look at it and if appropriate correct it.
In this case – there were two Green v. City of Chicago lawsuits, both race discrimination suits, filed in 2014. Due to the timing of the CBS Chicago coverage of the suit indicating it had recently been filed – and the lack of detail in the complaint (yes I did actually read it) it appeared to me that the one filed in late July was the correct complaint. In fact finding the correct one (filed in January 2014) was not an easy task and without your input I would never have located it. People do use different first names for different purposes, formal and informal. I use Curt Varone… but my formal name is John Varone… so the difference in the first names did not trigger any alarms to me.
As for your allegations that I “cut and paste” someone else’s work, or merely regurgitate a story – that is absurd – but in the end my readers will stand in judgment of whether my content gives them greater insight into the story than they get from the media. And laziness? Seriously? I post 5-6 times a week for free and I am lazy?
Again – I appreciate the input, but not the attitude. And I will make you the same offer I make to the numerous internet trolls out there – who want to sit back and criticize anything and everything: stop your whining, step to the plate and help me. I am happy to have you edit my work before I post it. Help me to make it better. However, you can’t stay anonymous and you will no doubt find yourself being challenged by… other internet trolls.