LOS ANGELES, CA (CNS) -- A black former Pasadena firefighter who alleges he was harassed on the job and forced into disability retirement sued the city, court papers obtained today show.
Carter Stephens of Los Angeles filed the lawsuit Wednesday in Los Angeles Superior Court, alleging wrongful termination and perceived disability discrimination. He is asking for at least $600,000 in general damages.
Neither Pasadena City Attorney Michele Beal Bagneris nor officials at the Pasadena Fire Department headquarters could be reached today because of the Thanksgiving holiday.
According to the lawsuit, Stephens was hired as a firefighter by the Pasadena Fire Department in October 1987 and in 1994 passed an examination qualifying him to be an acting captain. However, in June 1993 another captain falsely accused him of making personal telephone calls at work, the lawsuit stated.
Supervisors and co-workers began harassing Stephens by slashing his car's tires, leaving blood, urine, feces and mucous on his uniform and personal clothes, scrawling swastikas and other symbols on his firefighter equipment, vandalizing his car and breaking into his locker at least 15 times, the lawsuit stated.
In 2001, Stephens was transferred to another station where a captain made derogatory remarks directed at him and blacks in general, the lawsuit stated.
In 2000 and 2001, Stephens underwent therapy for stress he experienced on the job because of the alleged harassment, the lawsuit stated.
Stephens injured his knee in June 2002, but his doctor told him the following year he was fit to return to work, the lawsuit stated.
However, a city doctor in April 2004 declared Stephens ''unfit for duty at this time'' and the city prepared a disability retirement application for him, according to the lawsuit.
Stephens filed two separate grievances asking for reconsideration, but both were rejected, the lawsuit stated.
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