John K. Murphy's Blog – September 2015 Archive (3)

Question. I am a firefighter with a ponytail. Can my employer make me trim it or cut it off?

Answer. The short answer is the employer can create a grooming standard and create an exception based on gender. There has been a lot of controversy related to the “right” to display tattoos, piercings, beards, hair length, coloring your hair a bizarre color and other personal displays of…

Many of the legal failures found in departments related to discipline, employee terminations, EMS response and documentation or other departmental events is due to the failure to document those events carefully with consideration that you may be challenged in those personnel decisions, in the provision of medical care or on a fire response.

It seems like a no brainer that on EMS or Fire events, there are templates…

Question – I am a Battalion Chief in a large department and use my personal cell phone for work related issues like taking pictures of emergency scenes and emails/texting to various chief officers and elected officials. My Chief informed me that material contained in my phone is available for review under a Public Records request for information if I am using it in the performance of my duty.…