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Was employment law ignored re Florida firefighter?

On Behalf of | Jun 20, 2013 | Wrongful Termination |

Discrimination and harassment are no more acceptable in the workplace than anywhere else. A Florida firefighter recently claimed he was fired from his job as a direct result of his heritage. There is evidence the 34-year-old Hispanic man was unjustly forced to leave his position because of intentional sabotage by his superiors rather than any traditional form of employment law.

 

The former firefighter was apparently told by his employers that the reason for his termination was due to driving without a valid license. The cause of his suspended license was the result of not fixing broken equipment. However, the man reportedly had no idea his license had even been flagged because his employers intentionally concealed the knowledge of the broken equipment from him for nearly half a year.

In addition, the victim and another Hispanic firefighter have noted their superior’s tendency to make racist comments toward them. The disgruntled employee has also referenced instances in which his lieutenant outright harassed him for no legitimate reason. Further, other employees have seemingly been guilty of much more serious allegations such as driving drunk while on the job or leaving the scene of an accident, yet none of them were terminated from their jobs.

 

Employers have as much responsibility as their employees to act in a professional and unprejudiced manner. The Civil Rights Act of 1964 and other Florida laws and regulations strictly prohibit this type of behavior. Any individuals forced to tolerate discrimination or harassment that goes against standard employment law may want to consider seeking advice on the most appropriate manner in which to proceed.

 

Source: keysnet.com, “Firefighter says he endured months of harassment, discrimination,” David Goodhue, June 13, 2013