Tag Archives: gender discrimination

The City of Chicago has agreed to settle a lawsuit brought by a fire department paramedic over how she was treated during her pregnancy and while nursing. Sarah Spriesch filed suit last year accusing the Chicago Fire Department of pregnancy discrimination under state and federal law, sex discrimination under state and federal law, and violation of the Nursing Mother’s Act.

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Five female paramedics with the Chicago Fire Department filed suit today alleging sexual harassment, gender discrimination and retaliation. The five unnamed women were identified in the complaint as Jane Doe 1 through 5.

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The US Department of Justice filed suit today against the City of Houston on behalf of two female firefighters who claim they were sexually harassed while assigned to Station 54. Jane Draycott and Paula Keyes claim they were harassed in 2009, prompting them to file complaints. Thereafter, the harassment dramatically worsened resulting in them being placed on leave.

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The Colorado River Fire Rescue is facing a sexual harassment suit by a female firefighter who claims she was harassed virtually her entire ten-year career. Jennifer Taylor filed suit last week in US District Court for the District of Colorado naming the Colorado River Fire Rescue as the defendant.

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A female firefighter who was fired a day after she filed suit for discrimination and retaliation, has been awarded her job back. Yesterday, US District Court Judge Elizabeth Kovachevich ordered the Tampa Fire Department to reinstate firefighter Tanja Vidovic.

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A female firefighter employed by a volunteer fire company who was fired earlier this year over a Facebook post, has filed suit against the department and the firefighters’ union claiming her termination was retaliation, gender discrimination and a breach of the union’s duty of fair representation.

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A jury has ruled that the Miami-Dade Fire Rescue did not discriminate or retaliate against an African American fire captain who claims she was wrongfully passed over for promotion. Captain Faye Davis sued the department and IAFF Local 1403 in 2012 accusing both of race and gender discrimination as well as retaliation.

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In a scathing 49-page decision, the Salt Lake City Civil Service Commission reversed the demotion of the fire department’s first female chief officer, and in the process raised serious questions over whether the department’s leadership targeted her.

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Last week was a very busy week Fire Law-wise. Besides the five headline stories I covered, there were a seemingly endless stream of additional cases that broke. Let’s take a quick look at several of the more important cases that otherwise would have slipped through the cracks.

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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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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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A jury has awarded a San Jose battalion chief $800,000 for retaliation, while ruling in favor of the city on identical claims by a former fire captain. BC Patricia Tapia and Captain Debra Ward sued the city in 2014 claiming they has been unlawfully retaliated against after settling a discrimination lawsuit in 2012.

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The City of Lynchburg, Virginia is facing a sexual harassment lawsuit by a former female firefighter who claims she was subjected to a sexually hostile work environment culminating in her decision to resign in 2015. Ruth Anne L. Phillips alleges she was subjected to “unlawful employment discrimination and hostile work environment based on age, gender, sex, sexual harassment, assault, and retaliation."

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A New Jersey city has agreed to settle a discrimination suit filed by a part-time EMT for $90,000. Donald Hymer filed suit last year against the City of Bridgeton and the head of Bridgeton EMS, Tiffany Durham, claiming wrongful termination and discrimination due to perceived sexual orientation.

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