JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – A group of firefighters is suing the City of Jacksonville.
They are formally fighting a rule that requires them to completely shave their facial hair, saying the standard is unreasonable.
This seems to be a battle that has been brewing for awhile. In 2016, eight firefighters were put on desk duty because of their beards. The city said beards go against Occupational Safety and Health Administration regulations, because the whiskers interfere with oxygen masks, like the ones firefighters use when fighting fires.
Now, 31 Black Jacksonville firefighters have filed a federal discrimination lawsuit, and it centers around a condition called pseudofolliculitis barbae. It occurs when facial skin becomes inflamed or facial hair becomes ingrown.
The lawsuit claims the firefighters have to choose between the skin problems and the pain or keeping their career fighting fires.
“It’s been devastating because they’ve had to choose between their safety and their health and their career -- something that they all signed up for. They want to be firefighters and paramedics they want to help people,” said attorney Anthony Hall, who represents the firefighters.
In 2016, the city stopped allowing firefighters with the condition to be exempt if they had closely trimmed hair.
The firefighters argue the change is unnecessary, illegal, and doesn’t support the Americans With Disabilities Act.
Randy Wyse, president of the Jacksonville Association of Firefighters, sent a statement Wednesday that reads:
“The Jacksonville Association of Firefighters respects a member’s right to bring his or her complaints to a court of law so their grievances can be heard.”
The firefighters are asking for the policy to change, for lost pay if they were reassigned and compensation for emotional pain and suffering.
A spokesperson for the city says it cannot comment on an ongoing litigation.