Former Shawnee Heights firefighter sues district alleging discrimination

When then-Shawnee Heights firefighter Jessica Shrewsbury told then-Fire Chief Rick Deibert in October 2020 that a supervisor didn’t treat her “as an equal” to her male colleagues, Deibert responded, “You’re not.”

That’s one of the claims Shrewsbury makes in a lawsuit filed Oct. 16 against the Shawnee County Commission and the Shawnee Heights Fire District, alleging she was sexually harassed, retaliated against and discriminated against on the basis of gender.

Topeka attorneys Bruce A. Brumley and Chloe E. Davis filed the federal lawsuit in U.S. District Court seeking compensatory and punitive damages totaling $300,000, plus back pay, advance payments, attorney fees and other damages.

The three-count lawsuit includes allegations that Balsmeier twice made excessive physical contact with Shrewsbury during training exercises and once grabbed one of her hands and slapped her on the back.

Samuel Green, a Topeka attorney representing the fire district, said Tuesday, “At this time, the Shawnee Heights Fire District has no comment on the newly filed lawsuit.”

Shawnee County Counsel Rich Eckert said Tuesday that the county had not received the complaint, so it was difficult to respond to The Capital-Journal’s request asking if it had anything to say about it.

“However, Shawnee County does not manage the Shawnee Heights Fire District,” he said.

Shrewsbury was twice covered in the news

Shrewsbury became a part-time firefighter in August 2017 for the Shawnee Heights district, where she became a full-time firefighter in August 2018 and was placed under Balsmeier’s direct supervision, her complaint in the lawsuit said.

Shrewsbury twice became the subject of news coverage during its time in the Shawnee Heights district.

She and fellow firefighter Jerred Hammond entered the frigid waters of Lake Shawnee in January 2019 to successfully rescue a dog, with part of the rescue being filmed.

She joined other rescuers in May 2019 to receive thanks from Bob Beaman, then 67, for responding through blizzards to help save his life after he suffered a heart attack in March 2019 at his home. in southeastern Shawnee County. Beaman died in 2021.

Complaint: Supervisor was ‘humiliating and dismissive’ towards complainant

Shrewsbury’s court complaint alleges that Battalion Chief Ken Balsmeier on numerous occasions treated Shrewsbury in a “humiliating and dismissive” manner, both in private and in front of his male co-workers, whom he treated better than the she.

Balsmeier twice made excessive physical contact with Shrewsbury during practices in August 2020 and on one of those occasions invaded his personal space, the lawsuit’s petition said.

He said Shrewsbury in October 2020 mistakenly scheduled herself and another firefighter to work during the same period, adding the issue was quickly resolved.

Several weeks later, however, Balsmeier approached Shrewsbury privately, grabbed one of his hands, patted him on the back and told him this would be his “punishment” for the scheduling issue, the complaint said.

Complaint: Fire chief became emotional and accusatory towards Shrewsbury

The complaint said Shrewsbury in October 2019 told Deibert that Balsmeier was treating her differently than other firefighters because she was a woman and she wanted it to stop.

Deibert in January 2020 reassigned Shrewsbury to another shift, which removed her from Balsmeier’s supervision, but soon afterward made a change that essentially placed her back under his supervision, the complaint said.

He said Shrewsbury attended in June 2020 what she was told would be a district board meeting held to address her situation with Balsmeier, but only one board member was present when she was questioned by Stephen Lanterman, an attorney for the district.

“Plaintiff later learned that of the witnesses she provided to Mr. Lanterman, none were questioned regarding Mr. Balsmeier’s behavior,” the complaint said.

He said Deibert told Shrewsbury in August 2020 that the district council found no evidence of sexual harassment or physical violence and that “it was time to put an end to all of this” because “it cost him a lot of time and stress.”

After Shrewsbury in November 2020 was injured while working for the Lawrence Fire Department, Deibert became “outwardly emotional, accusatory and dismissive” toward her when they met the following month to discuss her potential return to work. in the Shawnee Heights district, the complaint said.

That district closed Shrewsbury in March 2021, he said.

Shrewsbury’s lawsuit alleges a charge of gender-based harassment constituting discrimination; gender-based harassment resulting in a hostile work environment; and retaliation after she engaged in protected activities.

The lawsuit comes as the city of Topeka has seen a flood of lawsuits

Shrewsbury’s lawsuit against Shawnee County and the Shawnee Heights Fire District comes at a time when the Topeka city government is dealing with several discrimination lawsuits.

Two female Topeka police administrators recently won a gender discrimination lawsuit against the city.

A third female Topeka police administrator is filing a lawsuit against the city, alleging retaliation and a hostile work environment.

Meanwhile, two retired Topeka Fire Department captains, one female and one Black, are pursuing separate discrimination lawsuits against the city.

The city agreed last year to pay $200,000 to resolve claims of racial discrimination and retaliation made by Fire Department Battalion Chief Ron Rutherford, who is black.

The city agreed this month to pay $397,500 to resolve claims made by its former human resources director, Jacque Russell, a Black woman. City officials have not said whether discrimination was allegedly involved in his situation.

Contact Tim Hrenchir at [email protected] or 785-213-5934.

This article originally appeared in the Topeka Capital-Journal: Former Shawnee Heights firefighter sues district alleging discrimination