City Council Oks $11.25m Settlement for Female Paramedics

City Council Oks $11.25m Settlement for Female Paramedics

Introduction

Two women’s career aspirations with the Chicago Fire Department turned into a legal and financial battle after they faced discriminatory practices during a physical agility test at the fire academy.

Hired as paramedics, the women were subjected to a test designed to disproportionately disadvantage women, resulting in their dismissal from the academy.

The City Council has approved an $11.25 million settlement to compensate these women and ten others who were similarly affected. The test's demanding nature and its lack of relevance to paramedic duties led to severe physical injuries for four of the plaintiffs, with some suffering “career-ending” hip and back injuries. One plaintiff sustained a torn hip, according to their attorney.

The controversial test required candidates to hold 25-pound dumbbells in each hand while stepping on and off an 18-inch-high box for two minutes, timed to a 112-beats-per-minute metronome. This rigorous requirement was criticized as excessive and unrelated to actual paramedic tasks.

As part of the settlement, five of the women were reinstated as paramedics by the department, which is now led by Chicago’s first female fire commissioner. These women received settlements ranging from $200,000 to $400,000, including retroactive seniority and pensions.

The remaining six women, who are unable to return to their jobs, will receive between $475,000 and $1.3 million. Legal fees for this case total $4.25 million. One of the plaintiffs expressed relief but remained skeptical about lasting change, suggesting that further lawsuits may arise if discriminatory practices persist.

In addition to this settlement, the City Council approved several other settlements. These include $2.5 million for the estate of a man killed by a stolen car driver fleeing from police in April 2019, and $410,000 for the family of a man who was wrongfully arrested and beaten by a Chicago police officer in 2019, with the officer subsequently fired.

A $7.6 million settlement for a man wrongfully convicted of murder, whose conviction was overturned after a key witness admitted to false testimony, was rejected by the Finance Committee and may proceed to trial.