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A South Jersey fire company has paid a female firefighter $15,000 and agreed to have its members undergo sexual harassment training to resolve allegations the woman suffered gender-based discrimination, and was later targeted for retaliation for reporting it, the state Division on Civil Rights announced Tuesday.
Under terms of the agreement Clementon Fire and Rescue in Camden County had to pay the money to Firefighter Merrissa V. Garretson. The fire company also agreed to give Garretson a positive letter of employment reference whenever contacted by a prospective employer.
Garretson, 20, resigned from the fire company in April. As part of the settlement, the fire company made no admission of liability.
"This is a fair settlement that resolves troubling allegations of discrimination against a young woman in a male-dominated work environment," Civil Rights Director Chinh Q. Le said. "No employee should be treated like a second-class citizen because of his or her gender, and no worker should suffer reprisals for having reported such treatment."
At age 13, Garretson began her employment with Clementon Fire and Rescue in May 2003 as an Explorer. She was promoted to Junior Firefighter in July 2006, and promoted again to probationary firefighter in July 2008. In December 2008, Garretson was promoted to firefighter. At all times, she was an unpaid volunteer.According to her complaint, Garretson approached the fire company's deputy chief, Randall Freiling, in March 2009 to report repeated, discriminatory remarks by a male firefighter that were demeaning to women generally, and derogatory toward Garretson in particular. She later approached Clementon Borough Administrator Jenai L. Johnson, in July 2009, with the same information.
In the aftermath of those conversations, Garretson received a letter from Johnson in August 2009 advising that a thorough investigation had been conducted, and that corrective action had been taken.
However, Garretson charged in her complaint, she saw no evidence of a thorough investigation or corrective action.
To the contrary, Garretson alleged, she was subjected after reporting her concerns to such actions as being "bumped" from fire truck assignments in favor of less qualified, less experienced junior firefighters, and having her gear removed from her locker. Garretson filed her complaint with the Division on Civil Rights in November.
– TOM HESTER SR., NEWJERSEYNEWSROOM.COM
