Three fire chiefs around the age of 60 have filed an age discrimination lawsuit against the FDNY and Fire Commissioner Laura Kavanagh.
According to CBS NY the suit claims 15 top older department staffers were either demoted, forced into retirement or retaliated against by the commissioner as she sought to put her stamp on the agency.
The suit was filed by Assistant Chief of Fire Prevention Joseph Jardin, 61, Assistant Chief of Operations Michael Gala, 62, and Chief of Uniformed Personnel Michael Massucci, 59, each of whom were recently demoted and/or reassigned.
The suit claims that Kavanagh “retaliated against them and created a hostile workplace.”
It goes on to say that Kavanagh “sought to not just end, but literally destroy, their long and distinguished careers.
Kavanagh says she is merely trying to get her own team in place, like every other commissioner does.
