Former Lincoln, NE, Firefighter Files New Suit for Economic Losses

A year after reaching a settlement with the city in a federal lawsuit for emotional distress over alleged discrimination with Lincoln Fire and Rescue, a former firefighter has filed a new lawsuit, this time seeking compensation for the loss of her career.

In January 2024, the city agreed to pay Amanda Benson, who lives in Florida now, $650,000 to settle the lawsuit she filed in U.S. District Court in 2018, alleging the city ignored complaints she filed about a hostile work environment at Lincoln Fire and Rescue, exonerated employees who contributed to it and didn’t take steps to fix the problems.

The amount represented $600,000 for emotional distress and $50,000 in wages.

As part of that agreement, Benson was allowed to pursue her claims in a separate charge with the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission and Nebraska Equal Opportunity Commission.

She also was allowed to pursue her disability pension, "and nothing in this order shall preclude that claim or her right to seek damages and all available legal and equitable relief in connection with that claim," according to the stipulated order of dismissal.

This new lawsuit, filed in Lancaster County District Court, addresses both.

In it, her attorney, Kelly Brandon, said the city's conduct following Benson's reinstatement only exacerbated her PTSD, depression and anxiety.

Benson ultimately resigned and no longer is a firefighter.

"The city didn’t just take Amanda’s livelihood and pension from her. They took her identity — her passion for the career she once loved all but disappeared," Brandon said in the lawsuit.

The lawsuit seeks to recover lost wages and benefits, which she estimates to be no less than $1 million.

Asked for comment on the newly filed case, a city spokesperson said: "The city cannot comment on the details of a pending lawsuit."

After the settlement last year, Benson called it the most challenging and traumatizing experience she has ever endured.

"My ultimate goal was always to make things better for my fellow female firefighters and city employees. I hope this case plays a small part in bringing about much needed change," she said then.

Her lawsuit followed two others by then-Capts. Brian Giles and Troy Hurd, who said they faced retaliation after reporting harassment of another female firefighter, Sara Khalil, who later also sued the city.

In 2019, a federal jury awarded Hurd $1.1 million. The judgment later was reduced by a judge, and the city agreed to pay Hurd $600,000 to avoid a second trial.

In 2020, the city agreed to pay Giles $280,000 to settle his lawsuit.

Khalil's case remains open.

Last year, the city agreed to pay another firefighter, Jessie Lundvall, $250,000 to settle the lawsuit she filed against the city in Lancaster County District Court in 2022 that also alleged discrimination based on sex, sex stereotypes and retaliation.

Six other sex discrimination cases remain open against the city, all of them filed by current or former Lincoln police officers about what they say is systemic harassment, discrimination and retaliation that pervades the city's public safety agencies and has for years been enabled by city leadership.

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