Judge Rules For Berlin In Wrongful Termination Suit

BERLIN -- The latest salvo in the larger dispute between Berlin and its fire company landed in the town’s favor this week when a visiting Worcester County Circuit Court judge on Monday temporarily dismissed a wrongful termination filed in July by a long-time fire department supervisor, but the representatives for the plaintiff on Tuesday vowed the battle will continue.

In May, the town terminated EMS supervisor Norris Phillip Donohue, Jr. after 23 years on the job after at least two EMS employees filed formal complaints about alleged workplace harassment and discrimination. The allegations of harassment and discrimination in the EMS department of the Berlin Fire Company (BFC) were cited as a primary reason for the town’s decision in August to pull all funding for the entire fire company. However, the BFC alleges the town’s decision to defund it was based on control of the scheduling and operations.

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