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Chicago Firefighters Claim Vehicle Searches Violate Fourth Amendment
Twenty-three Chicago firefighters have filed suit alleging that searches of their personal vehicles parked on city property violated their civil rights. The suit was filed last week in US District Court for the Northern District of Illinois.
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Louisiana Firefighters Claim Pay Scales Violate State Law
Twenty Louisiana firefighters have filed suit claiming the fire department’s pay scales violate state law. The firefighters, all members of Moss Bluff Firefighters, IAFF Local 5501, claim that Ward 1 Fire Department’s method of paying them results in less tenured personnel earning more than senior members, violating Louisiana laws that require equal pay for equal work.
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Court Upholds Colorado Fire Chief’s Termination
A lawsuit filed by a Colorado fire chief who was terminated by a newly elected district board has been dismissed by the US District Court for the District of Colorado. Fire Chief Erik Holt claimed the Florissant Fire Protection District fired him in 2023 in retaliation for his exercise of his First Amendment rights.
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NJ Suit Alleges Malicious Prosecution and RICO Violation
A former employee of the Bayonne Fire Department’s fire prevention bureau has filed suit claiming he was falsely charged and maliciously prosecuted by the city because he refused to cooperate with an investigation into another employee. Richard Roszkowski filed suit alleging civil rights violations, malicious prosecution, conspiracy, and violation of New Jersey’s RICO Act.
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Orlando District Chief Alleges Disability and Gender Discrimination
A district chief with the Orlando Fire Department is suing alleging the city discriminated against her on account of a disability and her gender. District Chief Alissa Baussan, who identifies herself in the complaint as an African American/Black woman, claims that certain duties were taken away from her, and accommodations previously afforded were changed on account of an auto-immune deficiency she suffers from, along with her status as a female. Quoting from the complaint: In July of 2022, Defendant hired a new Fire Chief, Charles Salazar. Almost immediately, the new Chief and his Executive Deputy Chief, Ian Davis, began to…
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Suit Accuses Michigan Police and Fire Departments of Wrongful Death
The wife of a man who died of an overdose in 2022 has filed suit against the city of Inkster, claiming police and firefighters failed to render appropriate aid to her husband. Kimani Wesley filed suit in Wayne County Circuit Court alleging civil rights violations, wrongful death, and gross negligence.
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Idaho Fire Department Accused of Retaliation Against Whistleblower
A community risk reduction specialist with the Meridian Fire Department has filed suit claiming she was disciplined and later terminated in retaliation for raising concerns about the accuracy of data being used for a standard of cover analysis. Heather Griffin filed suit last year against the city in Ada County District Court.
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Fire Law Roundup for March 24, 2025
In this episode of Fire Law Roundup for March 24, 2025, Brad and Curt discuss a federal lawsuit filed by a Charleston firefighter over a transfer, a wrongful death lawsuit against the Philadelphia Fire Department, the settlement of discrimination complaints against three NY fire departments; a decision upholding a decision by New York City to impose a COVID19 vaccine mandate on members of FDNY without bargaining; and the dismissal of a discrimination suit brought by a Houston firefighter. Discipline For Complaining to Union Leads to Federal Suit Discipline For Complaining to Union Leads to Federal Suit Philadelphia Facing Wrongful Death…
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Discipline For Complaining to Union Leads to Federal Suit
A Charleston firefighter who was transferred after he complained to his union about unsafe station conditions, has filed suit along with IAFF Local 61 alleging the discipline violated the First Amendment
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