Canadian Chief Sues for Wrongful Termination

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Posted by: Curt Varone 1 hour ago 0 Comments

A former British Columbia fire chief has filed suit claiming he was wrongfully terminated following a battle with post traumatic stress disorder.

Penticton Fire Department Chief Wayne Williams filed suit this week claiming the City of Penticton wrongfully retired him while he was recovering from PTSD. Chief Williams originally told city officials he planned to retire on February 22nd of 2016, but changed his mind in November, 2015.

He claims the city fired him on February 22, 2016, forcing him to turn in uniforms, his cellphone and his work computer. His suit seeks compensation for back-pay, accrued vacation, a retroactive wage increase and damages for mental distress and humiliation.

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ABOUT CURT VARONE

Curt Varone has over 40 years of fire service experience and 30 as a practicing attorney licensed in both Rhode Island and Maine. His background includes 29 years as a career firefighter in Providence (retiring as a Deputy Assistant Chief), as well as volunteer and paid on call experience. He is the author of two books: Legal Considerations for Fire and Emergency Services, (2006, 2nd ed. 2011, 3rd ed. 2014) and Fire Officer's Legal Handbook (2007), and is a contributing editor for Firehouse Magazine writing the Fire Law column.