California Firefighter Lawyer

A Full-Service Law Firm Dedicated to Protecting the Legal Rights of Firefighters and Other Public Service Workers

Firefighters are integral to the safety and well-being of our communities, facing immense risks and challenges daily to protect lives and property. Given the critical nature of their work, it is essential to ensure that their rights are meticulously protected. Detailed and dedicated legal services are needed to support these brave individuals, safeguarding their interests in disciplinary matters, employment disputes, and other legal issues they may encounter. Providing firefighters with robust legal representation is a vital way to honor their commitment and ensure they can continue their heroic efforts without unnecessary legal burdens.

Our full-service law firm is proud to support public sector employees, including firefighters, police officers, federal agents, and other government workers. We provide comprehensive legal services, including disciplinary defense, employment law, family law, and estate planning.

To learn more about our legal services, contact our law firm to schedule your initial consultation. Whether you have a legal matter related to your employment or another issue, we have extensive experience assisting public employees like yourself. Contact Stone Busailah, LLP, to discuss your legal issues today.

What is the Firefighters Procedural Bill of Rights Act?

Under California law, the Firefighters Procedural Bill of Rights Act (FPBRA) establishes the rights of firefighters, paramedics, and emergency medical technicians. It’s similar to the Public Safety Officers Procedural Bill of Rights Act and was created to allow firefighters and other emergency responders to do their jobs without fear of legal retaliation.

The FPBRA lists the following rights:

Firefighters are defined as any firefighter employed by a public agency, including firefighters who are paramedics or emergency medical technicians
Firefighters have the right to inspect personnel files and request that mistaken or unlawful entries be removed
Firefighters cannot be subject to punitive action for exercising their rights under the FPBRA
All investigations into any alleged misconduct must be completed within one year
Firefighters must be allowed to read and sign any adverse comment before it is entered into their personnel file
A firefighter cannot be compelled to submit to a lie detector test

Any firefighter completing their job-related duties is protected under this act. If you believe your rights as a firefighter have been violated, contact our attorneys today for assistance.

What Are Internal Investigations?

When a firefighter is accused of misconduct, your department will likely launch an internal investigation into the incident. You may be called into the Chief’s office and notified of this investigation before submitting to an investigatory interview.

The main goal of an internal investigation is to examine the validity of the misconduct claim. If you think that your interview could result in disciplinary action, you have certain legal rights that you can exercise. You may also have additional rights under a collective bargaining agreement. Your department will likely inform you how disciplinary action is taken and what the process is.

If you are represented by a union, you have the right to bring union representation with you along with your lawyer to any disciplinary meetings or interviews that could lead to disciplinary action. You must request this representation before or during your interview.

If you are the subject of an internal investigation, contact our team of attorneys today. We have extensive experience protecting firefighters from misconduct claims that stem from citizen complaints and standard-of-care investigations.

What is an Administrative Hearing?

An administrative hearing is a court hearing that has to do with disputes involving governmental agencies. For instance, if you were involved in a disciplinary matter but disagreed with the outcome of that matter, you could request an administrative law hearing to challenge the action.

Administrative hearings are less formal than courtroom proceedings. During the hearing, you’ll be allowed to tell your side of the story and ask for a different outcome. An attorney on our team can represent you at the hearing to provide context and legal information. You can call upon witnesses and present evidence in your favor.

The judge in charge of the hearing will likely ask your witnesses questions and examine the evidence you bring to the court. If you do not “win,” meaning you do not get a new action, you can ask the superior court to review the decision made in your case.

Can You Help With Critical Incidents?

Critical incidents can be traumatic for everyone involved. Our firm has handled hundreds of critical incidents and has a team of attorneys who are available 24 hours a day to respond to them. If you’re involved in a critical incident, you likely need legal representation right away.

Critical incident responses can lead to criminal and administrative investigations that can quickly become complex. You need an experienced team to represent you and defend your rights, no matter the circumstances.

What is Collective Bargaining?

Collective bargaining means employers and employees discussing their terms and conditions of employment. During the discussion, both parties discuss their hours, wages, and working conditions. At the end of the discussion, they reach a collective bargaining agreement, also called an employment contract.

Many firefighters are represented by a union that enters into collective bargaining agreements with the department. California allows firefighters to bargain collectively with their employers.

During collective bargaining, you may bring up the following:

Workplace problem solving: Employers and employees can develop a collaborative approach to solving workplace issues. In most cases, this agreement is developed upon the shared values of the community
Increased safety for residents: Firefighters are safety experts and are committed to providing quality fire and emergency services. During collective bargaining, you can advocate for how those services are provided
Wages and working conditions: If you feel that your wages are too low or that your workplace conditions are unacceptable, you can voice your concerns during bargaining
Workplace inefficiencies: Cost-saving ideas can increase the efficiency of your department. If you have ideas to bring to management, you can voice them during collective bargaining

Collective bargaining has a long history of recruiting and retaining employees. In extreme cases, it can even improve firefighter safety and save lives. If you are having issues with collective bargaining or want to learn more about your legal rights as a firefighter, our team can help. We can assist you in voicing your concerns, approaching your employer, and more.

What Other Legal Matters Do Our Lawyers Represent?

Stone Busailah, LLP is a full-service law firm. In addition to offering our legal services to injured firefighters, we also provide compassionate and dedicated legal representation to clients in family law matters, employment law disputes, and estate planning.

Are You Contending with Complicated Family Law Matters?

Firefighting might be the job, but all firefighters return home to families and loved ones. And though our families might be a place of solace, they are not without their complications and difficulties. If you are contending with a family law matter such as child custody, divorce proceedings, child support, alimony, and other similar situations, please get in touch with our legal team for assistance. Our full-service law firm is proud to assist firefighters in family law matters such as yours.

Have You Started Estate Planning?

Firefighting requires an individual to remain present and in the moment. But when the fires aren’t burning, it’s worth it to take time to plan for the future. Our law firm can help you establish a valid estate plan with wills, trusts, advanced health care directives, and powers of attorney. It’s never too soon to begin planning for you and your family’s future, but there is such a thing as too late. Contact us today.

Contact Us to Schedule a Consultation with Experienced Firefighter Attorneys Today

Stone Busailah, LLP is a full-service law firm dedicated to providing knowledgeable legal representation to public sector employees across the state of California. We have years of experience representing clients in complex legal matters, from workers’ compensation claims to family law matters. Additionally, we have experience with hundreds of rollouts, where our team of lawyers will respond to a critical incident 24/7.

Whether you are contending with an injury, going through a divorce, have an employment dispute, or are taking the time to create your estate plan, we would be honored to lend our legal assistance.

Contact our Pasadena, CA, law offices to schedule your initial consultation today. 626-415-0787.