Suit: City Restricted Pittsburgh Firefighter from His Duties

A Pittsburgh Fire Bureau officer contends the city violated the Americans with Disabilities Act in 2016 by restricting his duties after he fell and suffered a head injury while responding to a fire call.

Lt. Robert Mahouski, 37, of Brookline, who suffers from juvenile myoclonic epilepsy, contends in a federal lawsuit that he slipped and fell down stairs while responding to the call on May 12, 2016.

Pittsburgh, which was aware he suffers from epilepsy, assumed he had a seizure and placed him on alternative duty for nearly two years after a doctor cleared him for work, according to the lawsuit.

Mahouski contends he lost a significant amount of pay because the city prevented him from working overtime. The city also prohibited him from teaching at the bureau's training academy, according to the lawsuit. Pittsburgh returned him to full duty in April.

Tim McNulty, spokesman for Mayor Bill Peduto, declined comment as did Public Safety Department spokesman Chris Togneri. Both cited the pending lawsuit. Neither Mahouski nor his attorneys could be reached Wednesday for comment.

“Defendant's violation of the ADA was intentional and with reckless disregard of Mahouski's federally protected right to be free from discrimination on the basis of his disability,” the lawsuit said.

Mahouski is seeking retroactive pay and fringe benefits for the time he lost, plus compensatory damages and payment for legal fees.

Bob Bauder is a Tribune-Review staff writer. Reach him at 412-765-2312, [email protected] or via Twitter @bobbauder.

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