Jessica Fleshman, the first female fire chief of the Fairfield Fire Department in California, has been awarded a settlement of $1.7 million after alleging years of gender discrimination and harassment from her male colleagues. The settlement, reached in November 2025, marks a significant outcome in a case that highlights ongoing issues of sexism within traditionally male-dominated professions.
In her lawsuit, filed in 2023, Fleshman detailed a hostile work environment following her promotion to battalion chief in 2021. She claimed that her male counterparts initiated a campaign of intimidation that undermined her authority and severely impacted her career. “I was in my chief’s office two or three times a week having to answer for some allegation brought forth against me,” Fleshman explained in an interview. “It’s well over a hundred, a couple hundred… My male counterparts weren’t treated the way that I was.”
The controversy began shortly after Fleshman’s promotion, with complaints ranging from trivial matters, such as wearing sunglasses at work, to serious safety concerns. She stated, “From wearing sunglasses during training and being intimidating, to severe things like safety concerns that I’m putting people in danger… it was overwhelming.”
Despite the numerous complaints lodged against her, none were substantiated. City records indicate that independent investigations conducted in 2022 and 2024 found no evidence of a hostile work environment. Fairfield Fire Chief John Sturdee noted that the city had “hired multiple independent and neutral investigators” to assess the claims, but stressed that Fleshman’s allegations were never proven in court.
In her public statements, Fleshman expressed disappointment with the lack of support from her colleagues. “Not one person in that agency reached out or tried to help me through it… I was really dead to the organization at that point,” she said. Her legal representative, civil rights attorney Deborah Kochan, remarked that Fleshman’s experience is a common issue for women in male-dominated fields. “What happened to Chief Fleshman is what I’ve seen over and over again,” Kochan stated. “She reached that level because she was amazing – and then she had to speak out, and nobody had her back.”
Fleshman, who served in the U.S. Marine Corps before joining the fire service, believes that cultural change within fire departments is essential. “We need to change the culture of the fire service,” she asserted. “It’s one of the last cultures to change. We women are just as capable as our male counterparts to do the job.”
The settlement allows Fleshman to remain on paid administrative leave until her planned retirement next year. Currently, she is teaching as an adjunct fire instructor at Solano Community College, where she aims to prepare future firefighters for a more inclusive environment. In a heartfelt message posted on social media, she thanked the citizens of Fairfield for their support throughout her career, stating, “There are a lot of great people that work there, but unfortunately it only takes a few to create issues.”
Despite the challenges she faced, Fleshman’s case serves as a reminder of the ongoing struggles for equity in the workforce. The National Fire Protection Association reports that women represent less than 9% of all firefighters nationally, with Fairfield’s ranks reflecting a similar trend, where women account for less than 5% of firefighters. Advocates like Captain Lauren Andrade of Equity on Fire emphasize the need for accountability in the workplace. “You can’t just ignore these big issues… it continues to leave the door open for more of the same behavior,” Andrade stated.
The settlement not only provides financial restitution for Fleshman but also sheds light on the systemic issues within fire departments that need to be addressed to foster a more equitable environment for all employees.
