City Of Eagan Disputes Firefighter Discrimination Allegation

UPDATE, 3:40 p.m. — The city of Eagan has released the following statement regarding the lawsuit filed against it. A firefighter in Eagan is suing the city's fire chief in U.S. District Court and claims he was demoted due to his sexual orientation.

City of Eagan full statement:

In early April the City of Eagan and its fire chief were sued by a paid-on- call firefighter who was formerly a battalion chief. The suit alleges discrimination based on sexual orientation in his not being reappointed as a battalion chief.

The city disputes any such allegation and reaffirms that it is an equal opportunity employer. While the City of Eagan is restricted in what it can say about personnel and legal matters, common sense dictates that, there are at least two sides to every story. Unfortunately the City’s perspective was all but eliminated in the first media reports regarding the allegations. Eagan denies any discrimination occurred in the appointment of battalion chiefs.

The Eagan Fire Department, with the support of City Administration, has consolidated from six fire stations to three modern fire facilities in strategic locations to best serve the public. Those changes meant a reorganization and ultimately fewer leadership positions. In early 2016, Fire Department leadership, in consultation with the City, agreed that all members of the fire department could apply for the new and restructured positions in an open appointment process.

The City of Eagan plans to defend against the lawsuit because it believes that it engaged in a proper process and it, again, denies any discrimination. The firefighter remains an active member of the Eagan Fire Department in his paid-on- call capacity.

Original story: EAGAN, MN — A firefighter in Eagan is suing the city's fire chief in U.S. District Court and claims he was demoted due to his sexual orientation. Darren Lowell Benson seeks damages against chief of the Eagan Fire Department Michael Scott.

According to the lawsuit, Benson has served on the city's fire department for 18 years. At one point he was promoted to battalion chief, KSTP reported:

During his time with the department, Benson did not share his sexual orientation, or the fact that he was married to a man, with anyone in the department, according to the lawsuit.

In 2016, Benson and other officers had to reapply for their jobs with the department. During the application process Benson was asked if he was married, according to the lawsuit. Benson then disclosed that he was married to a man, and they were acting as fathers to a son as well as to two exchange students.

The lawsuit claims the reapplication process "in reality was just a ruse," and it outed Benson "against his will."

Read much more at KSTP.

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