By Justin Boche
Published
3 hours ago,
updated at 4:43 p.m.
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At the start of 2024, seven firefighters from the Loire department were fired for refusing to shave their beards. In mid-October, the Council of State rejected their request and confirmed the decision of the Lyon administrative court.
Le Figaro Lyon
They have now exhausted all avenues of summary appeal. If they wish to resume their activity, the firefighters of Saint-Étienne (Loire) will have to shave. After urgently seizing the administrative court of Lyon last March, the firefighters brought their case before the Council of State. The highest administrative court ruled in mid-October, reports Progress . In this decision that we were able to consult, the Council of State confirmed the decision of first instance, which had declared that the obligation to shave “is not likely to seriously compromise a public interest”.
“Under these conditions, the applicant's situation (…) results solely from their choices not to comply with the instructions of their hierarchical superiors”the court declared. Concretely, the summary procedure, that is to say emergency, could not apply to their case, since their exclusion came from their own choice and could end if they decided to shave.
Security risks for their superiors
During the first hearing, their lawyer assured that nothing in the regulations prohibits the wearing of a beard when it is “clean is well cut” as was that of the firefighters in question. “It is only indicated that the beard is authorized if well trimmed and clean to guarantee optimal use of wearing a mask”she pleaded.
The affair began at the beginning of 2024 when several professional firefighters from the Loire department decided to refuse to shave despite several injunctions from their hierarchy. By February 8, seven of them had been laid off. Management then highlighted the necessary security and protection of the health of its agents, particularly for “guarantee optimal sealing and prevent leaks likely to endanger the firefighter” when wearing a protective mask. But on the side of the firefighters, we pointed out a decision contrary to national regulations “which does not require a full shave”.
It remains to be seen whether the sanctioned firefighters will take the case to court on the merits of the case. When contacted, their lawyer could not be reached this Friday.
