The Associated Press
LOS ANGELES — A Los Angeles jury has recommended that the city pay $3.7 million to a Fire Department captain who claims he was retaliated against for refusing to give preferential treatment to a female recruit.
Captain Frank Lima’s lawsuit stemmed from a 2004 incident in which he supervised training for a female firefighter as she reportedly failed to perform a training exercise.
Lima’s court papers state the firefighter said she was injured and that Lima had humiliated her.
He says he was told by a supervisor that he should treat women differently because it’s difficult to recruit and retain female firefighters.
Lima’s attorney says his client also was denied a promotion.
Attorney Gregory Smith said after the jury announced its verdict in Lima’s favor that his client “just wants to go back to work and serve the citizens of Los Angeles.”
A spokesman for the city attorney’s office says officials are disappointed and are considering their options.