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NY Division of Human Rights Dismisses Discrimination Complaint Against Fire Volunteer Fire Company
The New York State Division of Human Rights has dismissed a complaint filed by former Patterson Fire Department #1 member who alleged that the department and several of its officers subjected her to unlawful discrimination and retaliation.
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Fire Law Roundup for September 15, 2025
In this episode of Fire Law Roundup for September 15, 2025, Brad and Curt discuss a wave of disciplinary investigations into social media postings by firefighters about the fatal shooting of conservative activist Charlie Kirk on September 10, 2025; a ruling in a disability discrimination case out of New Hampshire allowing a case to proceed to trial; a ruling that an Alabama fire department did not violate the FLSA in paying its firefighters; a ruling that a Georgia fire department did not violate sate law by denying full-time benefits to part-time employees who worked more than 40-hours per week; and…
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Lawsuit Filed Against Los Angeles County Fire Department and CDCR Over Alleged Sexual Abuse at Juvenile Camp
A lawsuit has been filed against the Los Angeles County FD and the California Department of Corrections & Rehabilitation alleging that a dependent child suffered repeated sexual assaults while housed at Holton Conservation Camp in Sylmar, California. The suit was filed in the fictitious name of John Doe in LA County Superior Court.
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Federal Court Dismisses Alabama Firefighters’ Overtime and Retaliation Claims
The U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Alabama has ruled that the City of Jasper did not violate the Fair Labor Standards Act or retaliate against firefighters who filed suit in 2023. The suit alleged firefighters had not been properly paid overtime, were retaliated against when they complained, and that the city breached their contracts relating to compensation and leave policies.
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Georgia Court of Appeals Rules in Part-Time Firefighter Benefits Case
The Georgia Court of Appeals has ruled that part-time firefighters who regularly worked at least 40 hours per week, were not improperly denied full-time employee benefits by the City of Rosewell. The suit dates back to 2017, when two longtime members of the Roswell Fire Department, David Bible and Brian Rogers, filed the class action lawsuit. They alleged that although they regularly worked at least 40 hours per week, the City of Roswell classified them as part-time and excluded them from benefits available to full-time employees. The firefighters sought retirement benefits under the City’s pension plans, as well as damages…
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Fire Law Roundup for September 8, 2025
In this episode of Fire Law Roundup for September 8, 2025, Brad and Curt discuss the settlement of a New Hampshire lawsuit brought by a former firefighter alleging homophobic sexual harassment; a Wisconsin lawsuit alleging FMLA violations and retaliation; the dismissal of a lawsuit brought by a former Topeka fire captain who claimed he was denied a promotion to Division Chief due to race and disability discrimination; a ruling by the Ninth Circuit upholding the COVID-vaccine related termination of eight Snohomish Regional Fire and Rescue firefighters; and an Alabama Supreme Court ruling that towns cannot be held liable for the…
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New Hampshire City Settles Firefighter Harassment Suit for $450,000
The City of Concord has agreed to pay $450,000 to settle a lawsuit brought by a former firefighter, who alleged he was subjected to years of homophobic sexual harassment by co-workers and retaliation when he complained.
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Former Wisconsin Deputy EMS Chief Files Federal Lawsuit Alleging Due Process, Contract, and FMLA Violations
A former deputy EMS chief with the Cambridge Community Fire/EMS District has filed suit in federal court alleging he was unlawfully terminated from his position. Deputy Chief Jason Caira filed suit against the Cambridge Community Fire/EMS District, the Cambridge Community Fire and EMS Commission, and the commission president.
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Federal Court Grants Summary Judgment to Topeka in Discrimination Suit by Former Fire Captain
A federal court has dismissed a lawsuit filed by a former Topeka fire captain who alleged race and disability discrimination after he was not promoted to Division Chief in 2022. Brently Dorsey, who joined the Topeka Fire Department claimed Topeka discriminated against him on the basis of race and disability, constructively discharged him, and failed to accommodate his medical condition.
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9th Circuit Affirms Dismissal of Snohomish Firefighters’ Religious Accommodation Lawsuit Over Vaccine Mandate
The U.S. Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit has upheld a lower court ruling in favor of Snohomish Regional Fire and Rescue in a lawsuit filed in 2022 by eight firefighters who challenged the department’s denial of their requests for religious exemptions from the COVID-19 vaccine mandate.
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Alabama Supreme Court Affirms Immunity for Town in Volunteer Firefighter Case
The Alabama Supreme Court has ruled that the Town of Cedar Bluff is immune from liability for the alleged acts or omissions of its volunteer firefighters under Alabama’s Volunteer Service Act. The decision stems from a 2017 vehicle accident that claimed the life of Susan Bonner.
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Fire Law Roundup for September 1, 2025
In this episode of Fire Law Roundup for September 1, 2025, Brad and Curt discuss a decision by the Ohio Court of Appeals to reinstated a defamation claim filed by a former fire chief; a federal court decision concluding that the City of Cincinnati violated the due process rights of former Fire Chief Michael Washington when it terminated him in 2023; a lawsuit filed by a former Cary, North Carolina, firefighter alleging disability, race, and ethnicity discrimination; criminal charges brought against a Wausau Fire Department division chief for stealing controlled substances; and a class action suit brought by the city…
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