Ex-Deputy Fire Chief Files Age Discrimination Suit Against City

Paul Lynch retired in May after 42 years on the , 25 of them as a deputy chief. He has now filed an age discrimination suit against the city, claiming he was repeatedly harrassed and cruelly insulted for months by his successor in an attempt to drive him to retire sooner than planned.

The Salem News reports that Lynch filed suit with the Massachusetts Commission Against Discrimination last month and a copy of that complaint was just released.

At 65, Lynch claims he was taunted and cruelly insulted repeatedly by now Deputy Chief Eric Harrison,  to suceed him. He described it as a "campaign" of harassment by Harrison, such that Lynch was constantly on guard against what he would do next.

He said Harrison told him at a funeral procession of a retired firefighter that Lynch should have been in the coffin instead of that man and that Harrison made an anti-Semitic remark about Lynch's girlfriend, who is Jewish, amidst other regular abuse.

Lynch also accused Harrison, who was a captain at the time, of insubordination on at least one instance. He said Harrison failed to appear for radio testing, and when he did, Harrison just yelled and cursed loudly at him.

Lynch further said he was "ostracized" by Chief Steven Pasdon after formally reporting the alleged abuse in April. Lynch said Harrison and Pasdon are friends and previous complaints by other members of the department against Harrison were not followed up.

The Salem News reports the city has referred the case to the firm of Kopelman and Paige, which is used at times by the city's insurance carrier to represent the city.

There is no hearing scheduled yet with MCAD in either July or August.