A.A., a firefighter for the Los Angeles City Fire Department since 1986, alleged that he was harassed by coworkers from 2006 to 2007. The EEOC (Equal Employment Opportunities Commission) investigated the case and determined that the abuse started when the other firefighters learned that A.A. had been sexually abused by a Catholic priest as a child. A.A. had filed a lawsuit against the Roman Catholic Church, leading to offensive comments of a religious and sexual nature. When A.A. complained about this harassment, the Fire Department failed to respond correctly. In fact, A.A. suffered disciplinary action in retaliation for bringing up the situation.
This type of harassment was in violation of Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964. In response to this incident, the L.A. Fire Department has agreed to pay almost half a million dollars to A.A. and they are dedicated to doing everything possible to avoid this from happening again. All station chiefs and their staff were required to undergo anti-harassment training, effectively improving stations throughout the city. They also agreed to improve the enforcement of their policies against discrimination and retaliation as well as provide a process of filing complaints to an outside source rather than within the fire department.
If you were discriminated against at work either because of sex or religion, you deserve to be protected. Contact a federal employment law attorney from the Federal Practice Group for a consultation regarding your situation. They are dedicated to providing strong legal defense for those whose rights were trampled on. With over 100 years of combined experience on their team, you can be confident that they have what it takes to help you. Call today to learn more or call their office today to discuss your case.
