A female firefighter has won €10,000 in damages after a court found the Fire Service discriminated against her by forcing her to wear boots three sizes too large for three years whilst denying her training that male colleagues received.
The Labour Disputes Court in Paphos ruled the woman suffered direct gender discrimination during the three years and three months she worked at Paphos Airport Fire Station.
The court found she was given special airport fire boots in size 42 when she wore size 39 throughout her entire time at the station. She was also denied training on new airport fire vehicles from late October 2015 to early January 2018 whilst her male colleagues received it, despite holding a fire vehicle driving licence after training on older models.
The ruling marks the first time a firefighter has won damages for gender discrimination against the Fire Service. The three judges’ decision includes significant observations about Fire Service members and how they testified before the court.
Three years in wrong-sized boots
The firefighter was appointed to the Police on 6 April 2009 and transferred to the Fire Service on 27 July 2009, where she was placed at Paphos Fire Station. She worked at the airport station for three years and three months.
In 2018, she took the Fire Service to court through lawyer E. Korakidis, seeking €50,000 in damages for discriminatory treatment.
She claimed she faced violent and intimidating behaviour from a specific sergeant colleague who enjoyed the favour, protection and cover of her Provincial superior. She said she was moved to Paphos airport without approval from the Police Chief or Fire Service director and was burdened with 8,640km of extra travel costs, which her Paphos superior never arranged compensation for.
She complained against two Paphos Fire Service members, triggering a disciplinary procedure. Disciplinary offences were found for one, who was ultimately acquitted.
Attorney General argued no discrimination
The Attorney General’s office argued there was no gender discrimination and that her claims were filed beyond the 12 months the law allows. It also argued the dispute involves a civil servant-public authority relationship and therefore doesn’t fall under the Labour Court’s jurisdiction.
After analysing all testimony and applicable gender discrimination legislation, judges E. Konstantinou (president), S. Delitsikkou and M. Filippidis rejected her claims of a general negative and hostile environment at Paphos Fire Service due to her gender or towards female firefighters.
But they found she was discriminated against on two specific counts: the failure to train her on new airport fire vehicles whilst male colleagues received training, and providing her with boots three sizes too large throughout her service at the airport.
€6,000 for training, €4,000 for boots
The judges said the only damages they could award were those covering the moral harm she suffered from the direct discrimination.
Considering the legal principles, the nature of each less favourable treatment and how long it lasted, and that nothing was done to resolve these issues, they awarded €6,000 for the failure to train her on new airport fire vehicles and €4,000 for providing her with boots in a larger size than she wears.
The damages include interest from 2014.
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