Description

On October 13, 2007, the Firefighters Procedural Bill of Rights Act was signed into law, giving California firefighters many of the same rights as peace officers, and more. The act is clearly covered in CPER’s Pocket Guide to the Firefighters Procedural Bill of Rights Act. Portable, readable, and affordable, the CPER guide provides an overview of the requirements of the act — a clear explanation of who’s covered and the extent of that coverage; how a disciplinary investigation is started and what to expect concerning interrogation, privacy, discipline, administrative appeals, remedies; and more. The guide includes the text of the Act as well as pertinent provisions of the Administrative Procedure Act applicable to appeals; a table of cases, and glossary of terms.

Since cases decided under the PSOPBRA are likely to influence how the courts interpret the FBOR, a chapter provides a synopsis of major court decisions under that act. Differences between the two laws are highlighted.

Part of CPER’s Pocket Guide Series, the Guide is designed for firefighters of all ranks and for their employee organizations and employers in the State of California, and any city, county, municipal corporation, public district, or public authority that provides firefighting, police, ambulance, medical, or other emergency services. The booklet provides a description of the broad range of rights and obligations conferred by the statute.

Author J. Scott Tiedemann is a partner with Liebert Cassidy Whitmore. LCW has decades of experience representing and counseling public safety agencies in personnel matters. They are experts in issues involving the Public Safety Officers Procedural Bill of Rights Act and the Firefighters Procedural Bill of Rights Act. Reviewer Christopher Platten is a partner with Wylie, McBride, Platten and Renner, in San Jose.