Local News in Brief : Paramedics File Complaint
A paramedics’ union Tuesday accused the city Fire Department of “calculated” retaliation against a woman paramedic whose complaints of sexual harassment led to an investigation of department misconduct.
In an unfair-employment-practices complaint filed with the city’s Employee Relations Board, United Paramedics of Los Angeles alleged that a supervising paramedic was threatened by his superior after he was seen talking to Lynn McKay-Roth.
In a letter released to reporters by union officials, supervisor Lawrence J. Mayer said that Acting Chief Paramedic Alan Cowen told him, “It would probably be a good idea if you weren’t seen talking to her because you could get into a lot of trouble.”
The department has 14 days to formally respond; unless it acknowledges the allegations the matter will be referred to a hearing officer.
McKay-Roth spawned an investigation into practices at Westchester’s Fire Station 5 when she reported that firemen watched sexually explicit material on the station’s television.
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