King

FACTS AND PROCEDURAL BACKGROUND

On May 4, 2008, King and coworker Cory Coffey began a six-month employee probationary period as fire specialists with the Fire Prevention Bureau (Bureau) of the Ventura County Fire Department (Department). The fire marshal who headed the Bureau assigned Larry Williams as their supervisor and Aaron Greer as their training officer. At that time, the fire marshal knew Greer "was not going to be happy and was not happy [with the] assignment." Before King and Coffey reported for work, Williams candidly told them that there were problems with Greer and asked them to report any inappropriate communications or conduct by Greer. During the first week of training, Greer started talking negatively about other Department employees, particularly the fire marshal.2 King and Coffey listened to "basically eight hours of negative and improper comments about the [Department]." Greer told them: "Nobody there knows what they're doing. Everybody has their heads up their [ass]." He described an affair the fire marshal purportedly had, or was having, with the Department's assistant chief. Greer told King and Coffey that the assistant chief's wife, after…