A veteran member of the Los Angeles County Fire Department sued his employer Tuesday, alleging he has been wrongfully denied a promotion to deputy chief because he is a white male.
Assistant Chief Frank Forman’s Los Angeles Superior Court lawsuit alleges discrimination and failure to prevent discrimination, harassment and/or retaliation. He seeks unspecified damages.
A county representative did not immediately reply to a request for comment.
Forman was hired in October 1991 and has been an assistant chief since 2021 with a good record as an upper-level manager, the suit states.
Fire Chief Anthony C. Marrone, during a March 2023 operations staff meeting, told Forman and all others present that the department would promote women and people of color, the suit alleges.
“Some will be happy and others who are more qualified will not be happy,” Marrone allegedly said while looking at Forman.
Marrone’s comment was clear that women and people of color would be promoted “for the look” at the department, the suit states.
Forman applied for a deputy fire chief position that same month, and the plaintiff was given a first interview in June 2023, according to the suit. But Forman was not given a second interview, and he was not promoted when the new deputy chief selections were announced last November with non-white men getting the majority of the promotions, the suit states.