By FireRescue1 Staff
TAMPA, Fla. — A federal judge ruled that a former firefighter should be given her job back after she was fired for filing a discrimination lawsuit against the city two years ago.
Tampa Bay Times reported that the city of Tampa has 60 days to reinstate former Tampa Fire Rescue firefighter Tanja Vidovic, who sued the city for discrimination and retaliation and was awarded $245,000.
“I’m happy to go back to work and I’m excited to be back serving the public at a job that I love,” Vidovic said. “I hope that the City of Tampa will take this as an opportunity to review their policies and make sure that all firefighters are treated fairly.”
Just before the order was issued, Mayor Bob Buckhorn said the city planned on appealing the verdict.
“We are appealing this with valid legal reasons,” Buckhorn said. “I’m sure there are folks in every department that say and do stupid things, but for the most part these are good employees.”
The jury in Vidovic’s trial, which began in November, found that the city retaliated against Vidovic because she complained about discrimination she endured for being pregnant.
“We appreciate Judge Kovachevich’s thorough review of this case,” Buckhorn said in a statement issued after the judge’s order. “We continue to remain committed as a city to take all necessary steps to comply with the federal laws prohibition against unlawful discrimination as we have always done.”
The judge did, however, deny Vidovic’s request for a separate bathroom facility at all Tampa Fire Rescue stations within five years, saying those policies “are best left to the City of Tampa to create and implement.”