Dispatcher Sues Florida Fire Department Alleging Discrimination

A dispatcher with a Florida fire department has filed suit alleging she was forced to resign in 2023 due to a racially hostile work place and retaliation. Navida Perry filed suit against the South Walton Fire Department, Inc.

Perry alleges race discrimination and retaliation under Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964. Quoting from the complaint:

• Plaintiff worked for Defendant, most recently as an 9-1-1 operator, from October 3, 2022, until her constructive termination on March 11, 2023.
• Plaintiff is a black woman.
• In November of 2022, Plaintiff observed and overheard two (2) male White/Caucasian co-workers discussing President Joseph Biden and the President’s plans for student loan forgiveness.
• This was prompted by a news segment on the television.
• In the news segment, a black female discussed her prayers for student loan forgiveness.
• In reaction to this, one of Plaintiff’s male White/Caucasian co-workers stated, “THEY are always looking for handouts. Just like government assistance, food stamps, and shit. THEY should just get off of their lazy asses and work.”
• It was crystal clear to Plaintiff, as it would have been to anybody, that the “THEY” under discussion were African-Americans.
• In January of 2023, another male White/Caucasian co-worker of Plaintiff’s had racist things to say when Black/African-American football player Damar Hamlin of the Buffalo Bills suffered serious injuries and almost died during a football game in Cincinnati, Ohio.
• The co-worker stated, “I bet it comes out that the thug was using drugs. That didn’t look like he was hit hard enough to collapse.”
• Later, when news reporters spoke of a GoFundMe fund-raising drive that had been started for Damar Hamlin, the same male White/Caucasian co- worker stated, “why the fuck are they raising money for him? He should be rich already, but he’s probably broke from buying cars with big rims, women, and houses.”
• In February of 2023, some co-workers of Plaintiff offered racist observations concerning Black History Month.
• They laughed and joked while saying that only Black people eat “chicken and waffles” or black-eyed peas for New Years’.
• They said “watermelon” was “Black people’s food” and asked Plaintiff if she ate chicken and waffles.
• On another occasion, Plaintiff overheard a female White/Caucasian EMT/Paramedic call one of their male Black/African-American co-workers a “n_____.”
• The male victim of this despicable racial abuse reported the racism to Defendant and was swiftly retaliated against by Defendant for reporting the racism and getting outside sources involved.
• Plaintiff observed as Defendant’s Supervisors and Managers spoke of “sticking together” and “making sure all of [their] stories and emails line up or say the same thing” in connection with this horrific incident of racial discrimination and abuse.
• In early March of 2023, Plaintiff objected to her Director and to Defendant’s Human Resources Manager that the racial discrimination, abuse, and harassment violated, inter alia, Title VII and the FCRA.
• In response to Plaintiff’s objections, Defendant took no meaningful action to ameliorate the environment and instances of race-based discrimination, abuse, and harassment.
• Instead, the bullying and racial discrimination became worse.
• On March 11, 2023, realizing that matters were worsening rather than improving, and that Defendant would not soon change its ways, Plaintiff reluctantly resigned from employment with Defendant.

Here is a copy of the complaint: