A Mount Prospect firefighter is suing the village and several high-ranking fire department employees, saying he was overlooked for a promotion and accused of a “hostile, vulgar, and sexually aggressive work culture” within the fire department. Alleges that he was retaliated against for complaining about
A federal lawsuit by Lieutenant Stephen Edwards alleges that members of the department had graphic conversations about sexual performance and sexual assault and watched pornography at work.
In addition to the village, the named defendants include fire chief John Dolan, former chief Brian Lambell, battalion commander Aaron Grangeorge, and village personnel director Heidi Noy.
Village administrator Michael Casaday declined to comment on Monday’s lawsuit.
The lawsuit seeks undisclosed compensatory and punitive damages against Edwards, as well as a court order that the village must provide equal employment opportunities and prevent workplace discrimination and retaliation.
Edwards joined the Fire Department in 1997 and, over the course of 24 years, has received stellar recognition, including one that has characterized his leadership as “shaping the future of the Fire Department.” According to the lawsuit, Rambell told Edwards that he intended to promote him to battalion commander as soon as the position became available.
Over time, Edwards became increasingly aware of the “blatant sexism” of the department, which has 72 sworn firefighters as of 2020, all of whom are men. Allegations included ranking female staff members, discussing sexual practices, and making derogatory comments about female patients.
According to the lawsuit, Edwards filed a complaint with Lambert and Village Human Resources from January 2020. A subsequent investigation found the battalion commander guilty of misconduct, resulting in a 24-day suspension, according to the lawsuit.
A week after he filed his complaint, Edward received the first negative performance review of his career from GranGeorge, the lawsuit says.
Over the next two years, Edwards was handed over for promotion to battalion commander, stripped of training duties, removed from desired shifts and stations, and allegedly isolated within the division. In 2021, he received a one-day suspension after ramming his truck into the station’s garage, as others did, but was not punished.
As recently as August 2, the village threatened to fire him as part of an investigation into his use of sick leave, according to the complaint. According to the lawsuit, the threats occurred shortly after state and federal officials gave him the right to sue the village over his claims.
A pretrial hearing in the case is scheduled for Oct. 24 before U.S. District Judge Sharon Johnson Coleman.
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