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Illinois Appeals Court Rules Removing a Cat From a Roof Not An Emergency
The First District Appellate Court of Illinois ruled last week that responding to a homeowner’s request to rescue a cat stuck on a roof is not an emergency, and thus a firefighter who was injured when a ladder collapsed is not entitled to benefits under the Illinois Public Safety Employee Benefits Act.
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PA Chief Charged With Sexually Assaulting Junior Firefighter
A Pennsylvania fire chief has been charged with having sex with a 14-year-old junior firefighter. Kevin Mains, fire chief for the Strong Fire Company, is accused of having sex with the girl on four occasions, twice at the fire station and twice at a motorcycle club in Coal Township.
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San Diego Facing Class Action Suit Over Asbestos Exposure
Twenty-one employees of the City of San Diego, including several employees of the San Diego Fire Department, having filed a class action lawsuit claiming the city exposed them to asbestos and then misrepresented the danger. The lawsuit filed last week in San Diego County Superior Court claims the city was aware of the presence of asbestos in a 19-story building referred to as the Executive Complex.
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NY Firefighter Convicted of Arson
A volunteer firefighter in New York has been convicted of burning two buildings that stood between his house and the house of his then-girl friend, so he could have a clear line of sight. Michael Watzka Jr. was convicted last week by an Ulster County jury. He was a member of the East Kingston Fire Department.
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Michigan City That Rescinded Offer for Fire Chief’s Job Due to Race Sued For Race Discrimination
A fire captain who was competitively selected and offered the fire chief’s job in Ypsilanti, Michigan, only to have the offer rescinded due to an outcry by elected officials over his race, has filed a discrimination suit in federal court.
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NJ Firefighter Injured By Apparatus Following Celebration Files Suit
A New Jersey firefighter who was injured last year in a mishap with an engine following an out of town celebration, is suing the department and several firefighters. Brian Smith was part of a three-person crew from the South Hackensack Fire Department that took an engine to attend a “wet down” party at the Fair Lawn Fire Department on June 23, 2018.
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Pennsylvania VFD Treasurer Charged With Embezzlement
The treasurer of a Pennsylvania fire department is facing charges that he embezzled $93,000 from the department. According to The Bradford Era, Scott Andrew Luce is facing a total of 128 charges for stealing money from the Genesee Fire and Ambulance Department.
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At Will, Due Process and Just Cause
Today’s burning question: Does Loudermill apply in states that are “at-will”? Our city administrator said a prominent HR attorney told her that due process, progressive discipline, and a Loudermill hearing process does not have to be followed in our state because we are “at-will”. Answer: There is alot of confusion over this issue and well-intentioned attorneys who oversimplify the complexity of the law are not necessarily helpful.
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Philadelphia Fire Prevails in Disability Discrimination Suit by Cadet
The Philadelphia Fire Department has prevailed in a lawsuit brought by a paramedic cadet alleging he had been discriminated against on account of his physical disabilities. Chase Frost claims he was prevented from starting an academy in 2015, and wrongfully terminated from a second academy 2016
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Fire Victims’ Family Seeks $2.2 Billion from New York City
An attorney representing the daughter of a woman who died in a fire along with her five children, has filed a claim with the city of New York for $2.2 billion alleging the city did not do enough to protect them as residents in a public housing project. Attorney Evan Oshan filed the claim on behalf of Raven Reyes, the daughter of Andrea Pollidore.
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Chicago Fire Prevails in Discrimination Suit
The Chicago Fire Department has prevailed in a lawsuit filed by a Hispanic firefighter who claimed he was the victim of a hostile workplace. Last Friday, the United States District Court for the Northern District of Illinois granted a summary judgment to the city in a suit brought by Firefighter Ricardo Gomez
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Zipper Clauses, Past Practices, and Discipline Prior to Exhaustion of Appeals
The Court of Appeals of Ohio, First Appellate District has upheld a grievance arbitration decision that found that a fire department breached a collective bargaining agreement when it imposed discipline before an employee’s administrative appeals have been exhausted. The case involved William Tillett, who was a lieutenant with the Anderson Township Fire Department.
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