"If the city doesn't respond to the claim within 45 days or chooses to reject the claim for damages, Williams would have up to six months to file a lawsuit against the city. The claim alleges the department "systematically stripped Mr. Williams of his duties, excluded him from executive decision making, denied [him] fair performance evaluations, and [that he was] ultimately informed by the Fire Chief Robert Sapien that the City was 'going in a different direction.'""
"Williams had a nearly 40-year career in fire service, including previous work in Oakland and two years as the chief of the Oxnard Fire Department. He abruptly resigned from his post in Oxnard in 2015 and received a $60,000 payout in exchange for agreeing not to sue the city, according to the Ventura County Star. It's unclear what led to the departure."
"In San José, the claim said Williams' firing came after he had worked to strengthen ties with the firefighters union and pushed back on Chief Sapien's "effort to monopolize authority in violation of department rules assigning day-to-day operations to the Assistant Chief." The firing also came after Williams said he was seeking medical leave for a work-related injury, the claim said."
Former San José assistant fire chief James Williams filed a claim alleging unlawful termination, discrimination, harassment, retaliation and age bias under the Fair Employment and Housing Act. The claim states officials stripped him of duties, excluded him from executive decision-making and denied fair performance evaluations, and that Fire Chief Robert Sapien told him the City was 'going in a different direction.' Williams had nearly 40 years in fire service and previously led the Oxnard department, resigning there in 2015 with a $60,000 payout. The claim says his firing followed efforts to strengthen union ties, push back on Sapien and his seeking medical leave for a work-related injury. Williams may sue if the claim is rejected or unanswered.
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