December 2010 Issue Number 125

Is a monthly electronic newsletter which links current events and issues to the daily challenges faced by fire and emergency services managers. Current topics in the areas of leadership development, workplace diversity, change management, and conflict resolution will be discussed.

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Consider This...

The Turkey Shoot

A recent news story about a firefighter shooting a wild turkey while on duty generated a lot of comments among readers online. According to reports, the firefighter was said to have shot the turkey while on duty at the fire station, and then cooked the bird as a meal for the firefighters. The firefighter was issued a $1000 citation by the state game commission and was suspended from work as a result of his actions.

Reaction to this story was strongly divided. Around half of those responding agreed that the behavior was inappropriate, unprofessional, and potentially dangerous. The other half seemed to follow the sentiments of one person who said, "The people who thinks this guy should be fired should also should be fired for being stupid." Others treated the incident as a joke or as a case of political corectness gone overboard.

So which is it? A serious offense or much ado about nothing?

Some of those who defended the on-duty hunter said that no real harm was done-- it was a wild bird, no one was hurt, and the crew got a meal out of it. Others argued that the firefighter should not have a gun at work, and that discharging a weapon in a populated area was dangerous. But all of these arguments miss the essential point. This firefighter was at work. Why did he feel that hunting was a reasonable thing to be doing?

This incident seems like another example of what happens when firefighters forget they are at work. The fire station looks a lot like home, and some activities that take place there, such as cooking, sleeping, and watching TV, are ones that also take place in a firefighter's private life. So it is tempting to push the boundaries-- if cable TV is okay, then why not X rated movies? If taking the engine to a store on a personal errand is all right, then why not to a private party? If cooking a turkey is good, then why not shooting a turkey?

A few years ago during a class I taught, we were discussing a recent case of firefighters who were disciplined for consensual sex on duty. One person in the room said, "Well, what's wrong with it anyway? If it's consensual, and they are still able to respond, why not?" I responded by asking him, "So, if you go to the dentist, it's okay with you that your dentist is having sex in the back room between fillings and exams?"

The man admitted that he would not be comfortable with that scenario. "Why not?" I asked him. "Because the dentist is getting paid to do dental work, not have sex." Exactly.

Firefighters are like lifeguards. Most of the time, lifeguards are not rescuing drowning people. But just because no one is currently drowning does not mean that the lifeguard can kick back with a beer and tunes on headphones until something happens. Lifeguards and firefighters are paid to be vigilant, to be in a constant state of readiness, and not to engage in activities that may distract from that readiness.

It can be a difficult line to draw at times. If it is okay to change the oil in your personal car at the fire station, what about rebuilding your transmission? If having your family visit occasionally is good, then why not have your kids over every shift to watch TV in the fire station until 10 or 11 at night? If running a personal errand with the crew is acceptable, then is it okay to take a pack set and run an errand on your own?

The values that must prevail when considering the turkey shoot and other similar scenarios are professionalism and focus on essential mission. It is not political correctness to understand that firefighters are public officials, and that their actions on duty-- both on and off the emergency scene-- are subject to the scrutiny of the citizens they work for. It is reasonable to expect that firefighters will exhibit professional readiness and demeanor. Those who ignore this reality hurt their departments, and undermine the professional image of the fire service overall.

Source: The Standard Speaker, November 10, 2010

 

A Pentagon survey among military members and their families indicates that more than 70% of active military members feel that allowing gays and lesbians to serve openly would have either positive, mixed, or no results. In addition, the majority of military families surveyed said they favored the repeal of "don't ask, don't tell." The report is due to be published on December 1.

Source: The Associated Press, November 11, 2010

In Loco Parentis

Should Family and Medical Leave (FMLA) apply to those in family relationships that go beyond blood ties? In fact, the law already explicitly covers some of these types of relationships.

For FMLA leave purposes, "parent" is defined broadly as a biological, adoptive, step, or foster parent, or an individual who stood in loco parentis to an employee when the employee was a child. "In loco parentis" is Latin for "in place of a parent," and in this case, would include relatives or others who had a significant role in raising a child. The relationship must occur when a child is of dependent age; parents-in-law are not included.

FMLA designation is reciprocal in that an adult caregiver who is not a relative may be granted leave to care for a dependent child, and adult employees may be granted leave to care for those who stood in loco parentis while they were dependent children. The FMLA defines a "son or daughter" as a "biological, adopted, or foster child, a stepchild, a legal ward, or a child of a person standing in loco parentis, who is— (a) under 18 years of age; or (b) 18 years of age or older and incapable of self-care because of a mental or physical disability." FMLA also covers caregiver leave for members of the military.

The Department of Labor, which oversees the FMLA, notes that Congress intended the definition of "son or daughter" to reflect the reality that many children in the United States today do not live in traditional families, with their biological father and mother. Increasingly, those who find themselves in need of workplace accommodation of their child care responsibilities are not the biological parent of the children they care for, but their adoptive, step, or foster parents, their guardians, or sometimes simply their grandparents or other relatives or adults. The law also recognizes the later needs of adult children in the workforce who have received significant care from someone other than a biological parent.

The modern family has changed, and the modern workforce reflects those changes. FMLA, which became law in 1993, requires employers to acknowledge and accommodate these changes as well.

Sources: HR Daily Advisor, November 10 and 11, 2010 and www.dol.gov

© Linda F. Willing, 2010