We are pleased to share some new information with our community.
We have just learned that the consent decree is NOT on the City Council agenda for Thursday March 6.
Read more in this morning's AFA member email update.
Austin City Council is now scheduled to discuss the item on March 6. It is now confirmed that AFA will enter mediation with the COA, DOJ and EEOC on March 5th. This mediation is non-binding and if an agreement is made during mediation, a full online vote of the AFA membership is required before it can be finalized. Unfortunately, until the mediation is complete AFA will not be able to make comment on the progress. AFA does promise, to the extent that we do not compromise our legal position if this issue ends up in federal court, a comprehensive education piece before the vote.
For a review of the AFA process going forward please refer to the hiring practices facts document in the Press Room titled "DOJ Grievance Update to Austin Firefighters Association Membership - February 13, 2014".
AFD Hiring: Smoke or Fire?
Add the EEOC to the parties weighing in on firefighter hiring
By Jordan Smith, Austin Chronicle
The unfolding story of allegedly discriminatory hiring practices within the Austin Fire Department – already the subject of a possible consent decree with the U.S. Department of Justice – took another turn Feb. 20, as the Austin Firefighters Association announced that it had been informed by the federal Equal Employment Opportunity Commission that the union is now being accused of playing a role in hiring discrimination.
By Ciara O'Rourke
American-Statesman Staff
The Austin City Council plans to postpone voting on a proposed settlement with the U.S. Justice Department over allegations that the Austin Fire Department’s 2012 hiring practice was discriminatory.
Council members were expected to consider the so-called “consent decree” on Thursday, but a city spokesman said Wednesday that the Justice Department will not have a finalized proposal ready by then.
The council is now poised to vote on a settlement on March 6 instead.
By Ashley Goudeau
KVUE News
A settlement agreement between the City of Austin and the Department of Justice is expected to be pushed back again.
The council had set the vote for a consent agreement at its meeting Thursday to potentially avoid a lawsuit alleging the fire department's hiring practices discriminate against minorities. Now city leaders say the vote will be postponed until March 6.