PITTSBURGH — A Pittsburgh fire captain says he has been wrongly forced to take involuntary leave since he was diagnosed with epilepsy last year.
City officials haven’t commented on the federal lawsuit filed by 51-year-old David Cerminara, a 27-year veteran of the fire bureau.
Cerminara had a seizure in March, but says a doctor cleared his return to work with medication. But his attorney says the city is requiring Cerminara to be seizure free and off medicine for a year before he can return to work. Cerminara says that standard is used for new hires but isn’t supposed to apply to those already on the job.
Cerminara wants his job back with back pay and says his suspension violates the Americans With Disabilities Act.