The state has reached a $325,000 settlement with its former state labor relations chief, who vociferously challenged her removal from her state job as unfair.
Linda J. Yelmini, who retired last February and appealed twice after her post was eliminated a month earlier, was reinstated on Thursday to her job for one day, retroactive to last Jan. 21, as part of the settlement agreement, the state Office of Policy and Management said.
According to settlement papers from the state, Yelmini will collect back wages in two installments, beginning with a $147,174.42 payment on Nov. 18. The final payment of $178,000 comes on Jan. 6 and will be held in trust in Yelmini’s name by her attorney, David Rosen.
Yelmini agreed to accept an unpaid leave from her post, effective on Friday, and to retire – again—on Saturday, Nov. 1.
She nor her attorney could be immediately reached Thursday.
But in a statement from OPM, in which it declared that Yelmini had signed the settlement papers, released the state from all further related legal claims, Yelmini thanked her OPM and state-worker colleagues for their dedication to the state’s welfare.
OPM Chief Ben Barnes hailed Yelmini for her service.
“Secretary Barnes and Ms. Yelmini are pleased,’’ the statement said, “to have resolved all the outstanding legal issues between Ms. Yelmini and OPM in a way that balanced the interests of all concerned.”