The City of Fairfield has agreed to pay more than $1.7 million to settle a gender discrimination and harassment lawsuit brought by Battalion Chief Jessica Fleshman, the first woman ever to reach that rank in the Fairfield Fire Department.

The settlement was reached last month without any admission of liability by either party.

Fleshman, a 20-year veteran of the department, alleged in her 2023 lawsuit that her historic promotion to battalion chief was met with resistance by some in the department.

According to Fleshman’s lawsuit, the battalion chief faced harassment and retaliation, creating a hostile work environment that “undermined her authority, interfered with her job, and derailed her career.”

Fleshman, who oversaw training for the department, said she joined Fairfield Fire after

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