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Pennsylvania Chief Who Directed Racial Slur At Steelers Coach Resigns
A Pennsylvania fire chief who use a racial slur in a Facebook post directed at Pittsburg Steelers Head Coach Mike Tomlin over his team's handling of the NFL National Anthem protest, has resigned. Fire Chief Paul Smith stepped down from the Muse Volunteer Fire Company today following outrage over his post on Sunday.
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Compensation for Voluntary Attendance at Open House
Today’s burning question: Our department hosts an open house during fire prevention week. When the recession hit back in 2009 the department stopped compensating off-duty members who attended the open house. Can the department refuse to pay us for that time, and what would happen if one of our off-duty uncompensated members is injured at the open house?
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San Diego Fire Sued For Gender Discrimination
A firefighter recruit who washed out of a San Diego Fire Academy class due to an injury, and then failed a mandatory run at the start her second academy, has filed suit alleging sexual harassment, gender discrimination and retaliation. Nicole Pappas filed suit alleging four counts of state law employment discrimination...
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Family Seeks LODD Status for 1935 FDNY Death
The family a New York City firefighter who died after a fire in 1935, is seeking to reopen the department’s decision to treat the death as not in-the-line-of-duty. Firefighter Thomas O'Brien passed away in October 1935 at Engine 3’s quarters on West 17th Street hours after he returned from a two-alarm fire
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Counting Vacation and Sick Time As Hours Worked
Today’s burning question: If a collective bargaining agreement requires a fire department to count vacation time and sick time as hours worked for overtime purposes, do these hours have to count toward hours worked for FLSA overtime purposes? Answer: No. The Fair Labor Standards Act only requires ...
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NJ Appellate Court Rules Volunteers Not Protected By Whistleblower Law
The Appellate Division of the New Jersey Superior Court has ruled that volunteer firefighters are not employees for purposes of protection under the state’s whistleblower law. The case involved a firefighter with the Colts Neck Volunteer Fire Company #2, Jeffrey Sauter, who claimed he was retaliated against.
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Maryland Fire Company Faces Another Male-On-Male Harassment Suit
A firefighter paramedic who supported the allegations of a male colleague who was being sexually harassed because of his effeminate demeanor, has filed suit claiming he was retaliated against. Jeffrey Dean filed suit against the Berlin Fire Company last week.
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Cleveland Firefighter Accuses FD of Reverse Discrimination
A Cleveland firefighter who claims he was forced to resign after his complaints about a hostile work environment were mishandled, has filed suit claiming the department leadership discriminated against him because he is white. Samuel Livingston claims he was threatened and assaulted while on duty by a colleague who is described in the complaint as “non-Caucasian”.
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What Should A Salary Be Divided By To Determine Hourly Rate
Today’s burning question: Our city calculates our hourly pay by dividing our salary by 56 hours, not 53 hours. In other words, our hourly rate for overtime purposes is calculated by dividing the weekly salary by 56 hours. Shouldn’t they use 53 hours since the FLSA states that is the maximum allowable number of hours per week for firefighters?
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Shreveport Fire Chief Settles Wrongful Termination Appeal
A painful chapter in the Shreveport Fire Department has finally come to a close with the announcement of a settlement in the wrongful termination appeal of former Fire Chief Craig Mulford. You may recalled in 2014, five Shreveport firefighters were charged criminally with abusing mentally challenged men who frequented their firehouse.
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Firefighter Sues Claiming She was Demoted To Firefighter Because She Is A Mother
A female firefighter in a volunteer fire department in Pennsylvania has filed suit claiming she was demoted from her position as a lieutenant because she is a mother. Jessica Etzle filed suit against the Lower Swatara Fire Department in U.S. District Court for the Middle District of Pennsylvania.
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Did Bonuses to Utility Company Executives Lead to Major California Wildland Fire
NBC Bay Area just completed an extensive investigative reporting piece that poses a very troubling question: Did the prospect of bonuses tempt Pacific Gas & Electric Company executives to cut corners that caused the Butte fire in September, 2015 that burned over 70,000 acres, destroyed over 500 homes, and killed two people?
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Austin Fire Lieutenant Accused of Secret Recording of Women In Firehouse Locker Room
A lieutenant with the Austin Fire Department is being investigated for placing hidden recording equipment in a women's locker room at a city firehouse. Neither the officer nor the station have been identified but the department has confirmed he has retired.
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Texas Responders Sue Chemical Plant
Seven first responders to the disastrous chemical fire in Crosby. Texas last month have filed suit against the chemical company and three of its top managers seeking damages in excess of one million dollars in damages. The explosions and fire occurred after Hurricane Harvey struck the region.
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