KANSAS CITY, Mo. — A Kansas City fire captain is suing the city, alleging he was retaliated against at work because of complications from “long COVID” and for whistleblowing.
The city has denied all claims of retaliation. A jury trial is set to begin on Monday, Oct. 20.
Anthony Seymour is a fire captain at Station 16 near Kansas City International Airport. He was previously employed at Station 47.
In 2020, the lawsuit says Seymour contracted COVID-19 and subsequently developed “long COVID,” which affected his breathing and lungs. Because of this, he was frequently on intermittent medical leave throughout 2020 and 2021, the lawsuit states.
In July 2023, he transferred to Station 16 due to its lower call volume.
According to the lawsuit, after he transferred, “Seymour noticed that he was being criticized and nitpicked, frequently in front of others.” The city has denied these claims.
He claims in the lawsuit that he was targeted more than other employees. The lawsuit says this only got worse after Seymour blew the whistle about a training violation.
Fire department employees assigned to Station 16 are required to receive additional training to respond to certain types of airport and aircraft emergencies, the lawsuit says. The city even receives funding from the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) for this training, according to the lawsuit. Because of these additional duties, Station 16 employees receive 5% additional pay.
When Seymour asked Battalion Chief Todd Covington...
In 1995, Princess Diana made broadcasting history and shaped the future of the Royal Family when she sat down with Martin Bashir for an episode of BBC's Panorama. Three decades on, the interview c...