Wrongfully Discharged from Volunteer FD

[miknwv]

What is the name of your state? West Virginia

I came here recently asking about slander charges I could file against my fire chief, etc., and basically found out that there wasn't much I could do. I went to a series of board meetings and was granted the ability to be voted back on by the members. The members unanimously voted me back on. There are two members who didn't want me back on the fire dept, the records officer and the chief, mainly because of personal conflicts.

I served about 4 or 5 more months after being voted on when I received a voice mail on my answering machine at home, someone either called my house or left their cell phone keys unlocked and accidentally dialed my number during a conversation at the station and let it play on my answering machine. On this recording is the records officer literally whining to the chief that she wants me to "go away." The chief says "that will happen soon enough."

The other day, while nobody was around upstairs in the dept, the chief put his forearm into me and shoved me into the wall, then took off running down the steps where the rest of the members were congregated. I finally caught up to him, told them he assaulted me and then asked him why he "didn't have the stones" to do it when there were witnesses around. He denied it, then looked at me and said I was terminated on the spot for insubordination.

My question is....with this recording, would I be able to go to court and prove that I was wrongfully terminated?

 

[Beth3]

I seriously doubt it. The comment that you heard cannot be interpreted to mean that plans were afoot to terminate you for an illegal reason. You may want to consult with an attorney though, particularly since you worked in the public sector and often unique rules/requirements apply.

 

[Silverplum]

Doesn't it say in the title of your post that it's a VOLUNTEER position?? How can you be *fired* from such a position?

 

[seniorjudge]

What is the name of your state? West Virginia

I came here recently asking about slander charges I could file against my fire chief, etc., and basically found out that there wasn't much I could do. I went to a series of board meetings and was granted the ability to be voted back on by the members. The members unanimously voted me back on. There are two members who didn't want me back on the fire dept, the records officer and the chief, mainly because of personal conflicts.

I served about 4 or 5 more months after being voted on when I received a voice mail on my answering machine at home, someone either called my house or left their cell phone keys unlocked and accidentally dialed my number during a conversation at the station and let it play on my answering machine. On this recording is the records officer literally whining to the chief that she wants me to "go away." The chief says "that will happen soon enough."

The other day, while nobody was around upstairs in the dept, the chief put his forearm into me and shoved me into the wall, then took off running down the steps where the rest of the members were congregated. I finally caught up to him, told them he assaulted me and then asked him why he "didn't have the stones" to do it when there were witnesses around. He denied it, then looked at me and said I was terminated on the spot for insubordination.

My question is....with this recording, would I be able to go to court and prove that I was wrongfully terminated?

Volunteer fire department?

That means you were not getting paid, right?

 

[Ozark_Sophist]

There were virtual brawls about volunteer firefighters near here during city meetings. People went to jail over stuff like the OP is talking about. What is it with volunteer firefighters? Are people addicted to the flashing lights? (Don't look into the light)

 

[fairisfair]

Doesn't it say in the title of your post that it's a VOLUNTEER position?? How can you be *fired* from such a position?

That is pretty darned funny. Apparently his services are no longer needed, paid for or not.

 

[seniorjudge]

There were virtual brawls about volunteer firefighters near hear during city meetings. People went to jail over stuff like the OP is talking about. What is it with volunteer firefighters? Are people addicted to the flashing lights? (Don't look into the light)

People take this stuff very seriously.

I would like to say it's a testosterone thing, but I have seen women get down and brawl over hoses and nozzles and red trucks with red, white, and blue flashing lights.

Scary, let me tell you.

 

[miknwv]

Being a volunteer FF is a calling that most people would never understand. Yes, it's a volunteerjob. No, it doesn't mean we can be tossed to the curb without reason. Yes, some people are attracted to it for the lights and sirens, but others are in for other reasons. For me, it's a sense of civic duty and carrying on a family tradition, the lights and sirens dont mean anything to me.

I'm going to take this to the dept board meeting, and it states clearly in the bylaws that to be eligible to run for chief, you MUST be of good moral character. (Elections coming up in 3 weeks). The conversation that was on my answering machine displays indisputible immoral behavior and conspiracy between two members to get rid of another member. Since it's in the by-laws, and if it is overlooked and he is deemed able to run for chief again, could there be any higher-level legal action to be taken?

 

[Ozark_Sophist]

Run for position of chief yourself or actively support a candidate. Either way you get your position back.

 

[xylene]

I like yellow fire trucks.

VFD politics are very important to a community.

Have you considered moving your service to another company until this chief's tenure is over?

Not the best option but an option.

 

[miknwv]

Yeah, that's the problem. This chief has gotten rid of over 15 people just like he got rid of me just so he can continue to have the majority vote (which in this case is only 6 votes) to win chief elections. One year he suspended 5 or 6 people he knew didn't support him two weeks before the elections and reinstated them the day after elections. Voting him out is a lost cause when the elections are set up way in advance like that and no way to prove it. The only other route to go would be to use the proof I have to disqualify him from running for chief. It's sad, when a volunteer department only has a handful of people to respond to emergencies just because the chief got rid of the rest so he could win elections.