After considerable complaint from its newest members, Jimmy Flannigan and Alison Alter, City Council voted last month to amend the city’s General Fund budget by transferring $3.5 million from a stabilization reserve fund into the Austin Fire Department’s budget to pay for overtime expenses. Council on Thursday directed the Office of the City Auditor to look […]
consent decree
This refers to a document used by the U.S. Department of Justice to govern Federal oversight of the City of Austin’s fire department hiring practices.
Posted inLocal Politics, Public Safety
Firefighters union seeks standing in agreement between DOJ, city
The union representing Austin firefighters filed a motion in U.S. District Court Friday seeking to intervene in the pending settlement between the City of Austin and the U.S. Department of Justice. Seeking a consent decree, the city and the Justice Department filed an agreement in federal court June 9 to settle allegations of race-based discrimination […]
Posted inPublic Safety
DOJ, city seek order to resolve hiring dispute over firefighters protest
The U.S. Department of Justice and the City of Austin filed a joint motion in U.S. District Court Monday seeking a consent decree to resolve claims that the city has discriminated against African-American and Hispanic firefighter candidates. In the filing, the city agreed to a settlement that would force it pay up to $780,000 […]
Posted inLocal Politics, Public Safety
Council accepts DOJ consent decree to settle firefighter hiring issue
With Council Members Mike Martinez and Chris Riley dissenting, Austin City Council members voted Thursday night to move forward with a proposed agreement with U.S. Department of Justice that would settle claims of hiring discrimination that have dogged the department for two years. The vote, however, may not be the end of the line […]
Posted inPublic Safety
Despite settlement, city and firefighters remain at odds over hiring
In a letter penned April 29 to Shayna Bloom with the U.S. Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division, Austin Firefighters Association attorney B. Craig Deats reports that the firefighter applicant at the center of a recent hiring discrimination case has settled with the City of Austin. Still, according to Deats, the federal Equal Employment Opportunity […]
Posted inPublic Safety
City, firefighters union headed for mediation in hiring dispute
The Austin Firefighters Association – the union for City of Austin’s firefighters – and city management are headed to federal mediation over lingering accusations of hiring discrimination. Asked how long the mediation process might take AFA head Bob Nicks Tuesday declined to speculate. Also, at Tuesday’s work session Council Member Mike Martinez, former head […]
Posted inPublic Safety
Firefighters union meets with DOJ to discuss city’s hiring process
With a potential consent decree between the City of Austin and the U.S. Justice Department hanging over their heads, representatives of the Austin Firefighters Association met with DOJ officials Tuesday to discuss how the decree might affect the city’s hiring process and the impact that might have on the union. Should union officials accept the […]