In a striking case of workplace discrimination, a female fire chief has secured a $1.7 million settlement following a series of complaints from her male colleagues, who claimed she appeared intimidating while wearing sunglasses.

Jessica Fleshman, who made history as the first woman to become a battalion chief in the Fairfield Fire Department, alleged that after stepping into her groundbreaking role, she was subjected to a relentless campaign of gender discrimination and harassment by some of her male peers.

Fleshman recounted that her promotion in 2021 soon turned sour, as she faced an onslaught of hostility that she says undermined her authority, impeded her professional duties, and ultimately sabotaged her career trajectory.

In an interview with NBC Bay Area, Fleshman shared her experience of frequently being called into her chief’s office, sometimes two or three times a week, to address various allegations against her. “It’s well over a hundred, a couple hundred… My male counterparts weren’t treated the way that I was,” she remarked, highlighting the disparity in treatment she endured.

‘It’s well over a hundred, a couple hundred… My male counterparts weren’t treated the way that I was.’

The city of Fairfield agreed to pay more than $1.7 million to settle Fleshman’s gender discrimination and harassment lawsuit, filed in 2023, without admitting wrongdoing. 

In her lawsuit and interview, she described an onslaught of trivial and serious accusations from wearing sunglasses ‘too assertively’ to endangering firefighters during hot-weather training sessions.

‘From me wearing sunglasses during training and being intimidating, to severe things like safety concerns that I’m putting people in danger by holding trainings when it was too hot, or that I got people burned,’ she said.

Jessica Fleshman, he first woman ever to rise to the rank of battalion chief in the Fairfield Fire Department in the Bay Area has won a $1.7 million settlement after alleging years of harassment, retaliation, and sexism from her male colleagues

Fleshman wrote online how ‘there are a lot of great people that work there, but unfortunately it only takes a few to create issues.’ She is seen pictured with her male colleagues

Despite the volume of complaints, none were substantiated, and Fleshman was never disciplined. 

City records show how independent investigators reviewed her harassment complaints in both 2022 and 2024, but in each case officials concluded there was ‘no evidence’ of a hostile work environment.

Fairfield Fire Chief John Sturdee said in a statement that the city ‘hired multiple independent and neutral investigators’ and that Fleshman’s ‘allegations have never been proven in court.’

Civil rights attorney Deborah Kochan, who represented Fleshman, said her client’s ordeal was ‘all too familiar’ for women in male-dominated professions. 

‘What happened to Chief Fleshman is what I’ve seen over and over again,’ Kochan said to NBC News. ‘She reached that level because she was amazing – and then she had to speak out, and nobody had her back.’

Fleshman said that after reporting the harassment to superiors, nothing was done – a lack of accountability that only emboldened her detractors and left her isolated. 

‘Not one person in that agency reached out or tried to help me through it,’ she said. ‘I was really dead to the organization at that point.’

Like most fire departments across the country, Fairfield’s ranks are overwhelmingly male, with women representing fewer than 5% of firefighters. Nationally, women account for about 9% of all firefighters, according to the National Fire Protection Association.

The city of Fairfield agreed to pay more than $1.7 million to settle Fleshman’s gender discrimination and harassment lawsuit, filed in 2023, without admitting wrongdoing

Battalion Chief Jessica Fleshman, center, the first woman ever to reach that rank in the Fairfield Fire Department, is seen pictured alongside her colleagues 

Fleshman worked for the Fairfield Fire Department for 20 years 

Captain Lauren Andrade, president of Equity on Fire, a nonprofit advocating for women and underrepresented groups in fire services, said Fleshman’s case reflects a widespread cultural problem.

‘There has to be some kind of accountability instead of just ignoring [the issue] and hoping it will go away,’ Andrade said. 

‘You can’t just not address these big issues – it continues to leave the door open for more of the same behavior.’ 

Fleshman said she joined the Fairfield Fire Department after serving in the U.S. Marine Corps, believing her discipline and toughness would serve her well. 

But even after making history, she said, she found herself fighting to be treated as an equal.

‘We need to change the culture of the fire service,’ she said. ‘It’s one of the last cultures to change. We women are just as capable as our male counterparts to do the job.’ 

Fairfield Fire Chief John Sturdee said the city ‘hired multiple independent and neutral investigators’ to review Fleshman’s complaints, and none found evidence of sex discrimination or a hostile work environment

Fairfield’s ranks are overwhelmingly male, with women representing fewer than 5 percent of firefighters. Nationally, women account for about 9 percent of all firefighters

Despite the volume of complaints, none were substantiated, and Fleshman was never disciplined

City records show how independent investigators reviewed her harassment complaints in both 2022 and 2024, but in each case officials concluded there was ‘no evidence’ of a hostile work environment

Under the terms of her settlement, Fleshman will remain on paid administrative leave until her planned retirement next year

Under the terms of her settlement, Fleshman will remain on paid administrative leave until her planned retirement next year. 

She’s now teaching as an adjunct fire instructor at Solano Community College – a role she says allows her to prepare the next generation for a more inclusive future. 

‘This was never how I wanted my career to end. I love the citizens of Fairfield and always strived to provide the highest level of service they deserved,’ Fleshman wrote in a heartfelt message on her Facebook page on Thursday.

‘There are a lot of great people that work there, but unfortunately it only takes a few to create issues. Thank you citizens of Fairfield for allowing me to serve you.’