LA County Fire Department Settles Discrimination Lawsuit

Case Background

A legal dispute between a private citizen, Anderson Mackey, and the County of Los Angeles, including the Los Angeles County Fire Department, culminated in a settlement in late 2024, closing a lawsuit that began in early 2023. Mr. Mackey, the Plaintiff in the action, initially filed his Complaint in the Superior Court of California, County of Los Angeles, on February 24, 2023. The action centered on alleged mistreatment and unlawful practices related to Mr. Mackey’s employment within the County’s Fire Department.

The case progressed through the Court system for nearly two years under the oversight of the Honorable Wendy Chang. The dispute involved claims common in high-stakes employment litigation, where the Plaintiff sought remedies for workplace conduct that he claimed caused him significant personal and professional harm. The County and the Fire Department consistently maintained they had acted lawfully and denied all allegations of wrongdoing throughout the proceedings, as documented in their formal Answer to the Complaint.

Cause

The core of Mr. Mackey’s lawsuit rested on several employment-related allegations. The Plaintiff claimed the County of Los Angeles and its Fire Department engaged in treatment and unlawful practices in the workplace. These claims were legally rooted in the California Fair Employment and Housing Act (FEHA), the state’s primary law prohibiting workplace discrimination. The essence of the complaint suggested a hostile work environment and that the County’s conduct had violated Mr. Mackey’s rights as an employee.

Injury

Mr. Mackey claimed the alleged workplace misconduct caused him to suffer severe, ongoing personal and professional injuries. Primarily, he claimed emotional distress and psychological pain as a result of the work environment. Furthermore, the complaint detailed injuries related to financial and career loss, arguing that the Defendants' actions negatively impacted his professional trajectory and income earning capacity within the Fire Department.

Damages Sought

In his lawsuit, the Plaintiff sought monetary relief to cover the extensive harm he experienced. He requested compensation for:

Economic Losses This category included past and future lost wages and other related financial benefits he believed he would have earned had the alleged unlawful actions not occurred. These damages were meant to restore the financial status he occupied before the alleged injuries.

Non-Economic Losses Mr. Mackey also sought significant damages for the intangible harm he suffered, including compensation for emotional distress, mental anguish, pain, and suffering.

Punitive Damages The complaint further sought punitive damages, which are intended not to compensate the Plaintiff but to punish the Defendants for especially malicious or reckless conduct, and to deter similar actions in the future.

Key Arguments and Proceedings

The formal legal battle began shortly after the County, and the Fire Department received the Complaint. The Defendants filed their Answer to the First Amended Complaint on May 16, 2023, setting the stage for litigation.

Legal Representation

Plaintiff(s): Anderson Mackey

·       Counsel for Plaintiff(s): David S. Harris

Defendant(s): County of Los Angeles | Los Angeles County Fire Department

·       Counsel for Defendant(s): Geoffrey S. Sheldon | Elizabeth T. Arce | I. Emanuela Tala | Jacqueline C. Lee | Liebert Cassidy Whitemore

Key Arguments or Remarks by Counsel

Claims

Counsel for Mr. Mackey argued that the Los Angeles County Fire Department and its management had systematically failed to uphold the legal requirements of a non-hostile workplace. They contended that overwhelming evidence supported the Plaintiff's assertion of having endured a work environment where discriminatory and retaliatory behavior was permitted, ultimately causing him to suffer severe professional and personal damage.

Defense

The Defendants, represented by Liebert Cassidy Whitmore, mounted a strong defense. They vehemently denied that any unlawful discrimination, harassment, or retaliation had occurred. Their argument likely focused on proving the County and the Fire Department maintained proper internal policies and took reasonable steps to prevent misconduct. They also challenged the factual basis of Mr. Mackey’s claims, asserting that any disciplinary actions or employment decisions taken were based on legitimate, non-discriminatory business reasons.

Settlement

The legal process abruptly concluded on November 20, 2024, when the parties filed a Notice of Settlement of Entire Case with the Superior Court. This notice confirmed that Mr. Mackey and the County of Los Angeles had reached a mutually agreeable resolution, effectively ending all litigation.

Because the parties negotiated and executed a settlement outside the Courtroom, the case never proceeded to a jury trial. Public records show that the Los Angeles County Claims Board authorized a settlement of the matter for $579,000. The County instructed the Auditor-Controller to implement this payment from the Fire Department’s budget. The Court subsequently recognized the conclusion of the case when it issued a Notice of Court Order regarding the settlement on January 10, 2025. This significant settlement represented the final disposition of the matter, securing a resolution for Mr. Mackey without the need for a protracted trial.

Court documents are available upon request at jurimatic@exlitem.com