LANSING, Mich. — The city of Lansing and its fire chief are facing a lawsuit that alleges Fire Chief Brian Sturdivant directed two male employees to check whether a female employee was wearing a bra while on duty.
The suit, filed Nov. 20 in Ingham County Circuit Court by Firefighter/Paramedic Cecilia Major, accuses the city and Sturdivant of violating Michigan’s Elliott-Larsen Civil Rights Act through disparate treatment, retaliation and creating a hostile work environment, USA Today reported.
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“This case comes down to the male fire chief dictating what is worn under a woman’s clothing, when it has no bearing on Ms. Major’s ability to do her job as a first responder whose priority is keeping her community safe,” Major’s attorney Hannah Fielstra said in a statement.
The complaint alleges that while employers can set dress codes, Major was unfairly singled out, repeatedly confronted about her undergarments in front of other employees and subjected to daily bra checks by male supervisors at the chief’s direction, treatment her attorney describes as humiliating, demeaning and rooted in outdated views of women in the workplace.
On June 17, Assistant Chief Carrie Edwards-Clemmons called Major into a meeting and, at Sturdivant’s direction, questioned her about not “wearing a bra at all times while at work,” the lawsuit says. Major, who had not previously been told of any issue, objected that she was being singled out and asked whether any complaints had been filed, while also raising concerns about uniform support garments and the need for feminine hygiene stations in women’s restrooms, concerns Edwards-Clemmons could not directly address, according to the complaint.
On June 24, Sturdivant met with Major, two male officers and her union representative, where he allegedly opened by saying the meeting was about her not wearing a bra and directly asked if she was wearing one, despite no policy requiring it, the lawsuit says.
According to the lawsuit, Sturdivant told Major that bra-wearing was mandatory under his interpretation of policy, claimed there were complaints but refused to describe them, then ordered her to wear a bra on duty and directed two male officers to check that she complied. After she reported her concerns, the city updated related policies but did not investigate her discrimination claims, the suit alleges.
Major filed a complaint with the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission on July 1. Neither the city nor Sturdivant has responded, according to the lawsuit.
