BLOOMFIELD — -
The town has agreed to pay $90,000 to settle a federal lawsuit by a local police officer who successfully challenged his firing in 2004, claiming he was the victim of age discrimination.
Officer Donald J. Rajtar filed the lawsuit in U.S. District Court in August 2008 to recoup attorney's fees and costs associated with his lengthy campaign to get his job back and to pursue a discrimination claim against his employers.
The Connecticut Commission on Human Rights and Opportunities awarded Rajtar $100,000 in October 2007. The town was unable to challenge the award after the state Supreme Court held that the town had missed the deadline to appeal Rajtar's reinstatement by state arbitrators.
The commission award covered $80,000 in back wages and $19,000 in medical expenses. The town also was ordered to repay the state $11,000 to cover unemployment benefits Rajtar received.
Under a settlement approved last month by the town council, Rajtar received $90,000 in exchange for withdrawing the federal lawsuit. The suit was withdrawn on Sept. 22, according to settlement documents.
The settlement "closes the door on all things that were pending associated with the arbitration award," Town Manager Louie Chapman Jr. said Tuesday.
The terms allow Rajtar, or the police union on his behalf, to file grievances or otherwise challenge disciplinary actions that have been taken against him this year. Those include citations entered into his personnel file for falling behind in his casework and failing to follow proper investigative protocols, according to the settlement documents.
Rajtar, 55, is the oldest patrol office with the Bloomfield Police Department. He was 50 in May 2004 when he was fired for allegedly fabricating a witness statement in an application for an arrest warrant and then lying to internal affairs investigators.
The state Board of Mediation and Arbitration reduced his penalty to a 200-day suspension after determining that two younger officers guilty of similar acts of misconduct were disciplined, but not fired.
The town sought to overturn the arbitration ruling, claiming public policy necessitated truthfulness and honesty in law enforcement. An application to vacate the award was filed two days after the 30-day deadline had expired, which Rajtar's attorneys claimed was improper. Their argument was upheld by the state Supreme Court in January 2008.
In his complaint filed with the state commission, Rajtar claimed the severity of his punishment was due to age discrimination. The hearing referee determined that statements and e-mails directed against Rajtar and another older patrol officer were discriminatory and that Rajtar's alleged dishonesty was never firmly established.
Officer Donald J. Rajtar filed the lawsuit in U.S. District Court in August 2008 to recoup attorney's fees and costs associated with his lengthy campaign to get his job back and to pursue a discrimination claim against his employers.
The Connecticut Commission on Human Rights and Opportunities awarded Rajtar $100,000 in October 2007. The town was unable to challenge the award after the state Supreme Court held that the town had missed the deadline to appeal Rajtar's reinstatement by state arbitrators.
The commission award covered $80,000 in back wages and $19,000 in medical expenses. The town also was ordered to repay the state $11,000 to cover unemployment benefits Rajtar received.
Under a settlement approved last month by the town council, Rajtar received $90,000 in exchange for withdrawing the federal lawsuit. The suit was withdrawn on Sept. 22, according to settlement documents.
The settlement "closes the door on all things that were pending associated with the arbitration award," Town Manager Louie Chapman Jr. said Tuesday.
The terms allow Rajtar, or the police union on his behalf, to file grievances or otherwise challenge disciplinary actions that have been taken against him this year. Those include citations entered into his personnel file for falling behind in his casework and failing to follow proper investigative protocols, according to the settlement documents.
Rajtar, 55, is the oldest patrol office with the Bloomfield Police Department. He was 50 in May 2004 when he was fired for allegedly fabricating a witness statement in an application for an arrest warrant and then lying to internal affairs investigators.
The state Board of Mediation and Arbitration reduced his penalty to a 200-day suspension after determining that two younger officers guilty of similar acts of misconduct were disciplined, but not fired.
The town sought to overturn the arbitration ruling, claiming public policy necessitated truthfulness and honesty in law enforcement. An application to vacate the award was filed two days after the 30-day deadline had expired, which Rajtar's attorneys claimed was improper. Their argument was upheld by the state Supreme Court in January 2008.
In his complaint filed with the state commission, Rajtar claimed the severity of his punishment was due to age discrimination. The hearing referee determined that statements and e-mails directed against Rajtar and another older patrol officer were discriminatory and that Rajtar's alleged dishonesty was never firmly established.