Today’s burning question: In a disciplinary investigation, can the lead investigator be the complainant on a case? I was under the impression that the investigator should not also be the complainant. Answer: The general rule is that neither the victim nor the complainant to an alleged disciplinary infraction should be assigned to investigate a disciplinary complaint ..read more

The families of three Baltimore firefighters who died in a 2022 building fire have filed suit claiming the city’s failure to catalog and mark structurally compromised buildings caused their deaths. Lieutenant Paul Butrim, FF Kenneth Lacayo, and FF Kelsey Sadler were killed, and FF John McMaster was seriously injured in the January 24, 2022 ..read more

The treasurer of a volunteer fire department in Pennsylvania is facing criminal charges for stealing over $90,000 from the department. Patricia Susan Tuttle, 41, has been charged with forgery and theft by unlawful taking following a lengthy investigation by the Pennsylvania State Police ..read more

In this episode of Fire Law Roundup for April 29, 2024, Brad and Curt discuss the appeal of an arbitrator’s decision to reduce the suspension of a Kansas City firefighter to three days for causing a triple fatal apparatus crash; the filing of a lawsuit by a New Hampshire firefighter who claims he was sexually ..read more

The City of Kansas City is appealing an arbitration decision that reduced the disciplinary penalty for the firefighter responsible for the 2021 triple-fatal apparatus crash to a three-day suspension without pay. Dominic Biscari was driving Kansas City’s Pumper 19, when it ran a red light, collided with an SUV, struck several parked cars, came to rest in a building, and in the process killed three people ..read more

The Appellate Division of New Jersey Superior Court has upheld a ruling of the New Jersey Public Employment Relations Commission concluding that lieutenants can be included with firefighters in a collective bargaining unit. The case involved a challenge brought by the Borough of Carteret seeking to separate lieutenants from the rank-and-file firefighters ..read more

The Massachusetts Civil Service Commission has granted the appeal of an applicant for the Brockton Fire Department, concluding that the city did not have proper grounds to bypass her last year. Yasmine Estrella was ranked fourth on the Brockton Fire Department’s hiring list established in 2021 ..read more

The US Department of Labor has announced changes to the executive, administrative and professional employees exemption, and more specifically - increases to the minimum salary that must be paid to white collar employees to qualify under these exemptions. These changes have been expected, although the specific minimum salary and dates of implementation were subject to some speculation ..read more

In this episode of Fire Law Roundup for April 23, 2024, Curt reviews a $4.45 million settlement in an EMS restraint-related death in Sacramento; a race discrimination suit in New Jersey; the settlement of an overtime dispute between battalion chiefs and the city of Wilmington; a trademark suit involving FDNY; and a suit against an ..read more

A New Hampshire firefighter who resigned last December after enduring what he claims was years of sexually harassing comments and retaliation is now suing his former employer. Christopher R. Golomb filed suit against the City of Concord last month in Merrimack County Superior Court ..read more