The Chicago Sun-Times has an article discussing a new lawsuit filed on behalf of women that failed the physical abilities test for the CFD:
A physical abilities test the city is using to hire African-American firefighters in settlement of a race discrimination lawsuit is discriminatory against women, a suit filed Friday in U.S. District Court charges.
Godfrey et al vs. City of Chicago was filed by 20 female plaintiffs on behalf of all female applicants who recently took the test and failed.
The women are already members of two other class-action suits.
They were members of Lewis et al vs. City of Chicago — encompassing some 6,000 African-American firefighter applicants who sued over a 1995 firefighter entrance exam the federal courts agreed was racially discriminatory. That suit was finally settled last year.
The Godfrey plaintiffs are also members of the lawsuit Vasich vs. City of Chicago, filed last year on behalf of women who passed the firefighter written exam but failed the physical abilities test.
“It’s a test that doesn’t really test for the abilities you need to become a firefighter, and screens out women needlessly and unjustifiably,” said attorney Marni Willenson, who represents some of the women in the Godfrey suit and is lead attorney on Vasich.
“We’ve been in settlement discussions for a year, yet the city made the decision again to use the test we were suing to throw out.”
As part of the settlement of the Lewis suit, the city agreed to hire 111 of the bypassed African-American applicants, and to pay damages that could reach as high as $78 million to the remaining 5,900.
Both suits charge the physical test, which includes arm and leg lifts, arm endurance tests, hose dragging and stair climbing, discriminates by screening out women at a higer rate than men.
In 2011, women still comprised only 2 percent of the more than 5,000 firefighters/emergency medical technicians staff, charges the Godfrey suit, which seeks back pay and other reliefs “to secure future protection and to redress the past deprivation of rights.”
Friday’s lawsuit now represents the third time the physical abilities test has been the subject of a discrimination lawsuit by women. In 2008, five women who failed the paramedic physical ability test sued, and that first case is still pending in federal court.
Read the entire article HERE.
#1 by Chuck on January 12, 2013 - 1:26 PM
Let’s just hand everybody the damned job. There is also a lawsuit on behalf of female paramedic candidates contending THAT physical agility is too tough as well. Not to mention PAYING people that didn’t get hired. Heck, I had a 91 on that test (well-qualified!) and after 6 years of waiting, when I called to find out my status, was told I wasn’t eligible to be hired and thrown off the list. Where’s my hire with 17 years seniority and pay grade and fully funded pension? Or my payoff for NOT getting hired?
#2 by Gnorr on January 12, 2013 - 7:25 AM
The whole test was about sharing city jobs which have been denied to AA. Maybe it would not have been a shortage of 66 retirees is that good old boy network have not exclude AA. In effect, while the lawsuit was pending, the typical friend and family hiring practices continued. The taxpayers will get stuck with the bill as usual instead of being fair and decent.
#3 by ENG 17 on October 31, 2012 - 11:46 AM
I don’t know, this one seems to have some merit. I mean afterall, how often does a firefighter drag hose or climb stairs. Might as well take that right out of the test…(Note sarcasm.)
#4 by chris on October 30, 2012 - 7:39 PM
any lawyer can find fault with something
#5 by Ryan on October 30, 2012 - 4:34 PM
Maybe Chicago should use the CPAT test as the physical agility? How can you claim discrimmination against that? Either you pass, or you don’t…and its related to firefighting. You have a few chances to pass it, if not, well sorry, you’re not fit to be a firefighter. If you can’t pass that test, then you sure as hell can’t pull me out of a burning building if I go down…and that is regardless of sex, race, religious backround, etc.
#6 by DMc77 on October 30, 2012 - 12:19 PM
I don’t recall offhand a surburban dept. lately having lawsuits filed over entry or promotional exams. I’m sure there have been, but every time the CFD holds a test for almost anything these days, it results in litigation. It just doesn’t seem like they can avoid it no matter how they develop and/or administer the tests, somebody always sues.
#7 by Garrett on October 29, 2012 - 11:00 PM
Could this (http://www.firehouse.com/news/10819340/nearly-600-chicago-firefighters-paramedics-may-retire) mean a new hiring cycle? If so, would these legal issues have an impact in driving dates back?