Court orders Senate staffer reinstated

PHOENIX -- A federal judge late Thursday ordered the Arizona Senate to reinstate a staffer who a jury concluded had been the victim of racial and sexual discrimination.

But Talonya Adams won’t be getting anywhere near the amount of money in damages she requested -or even as much as the jury said she should get. And Judge Douglas Rayes said she’s not entitled to future damages as he directed that she be rehired.

It also remains to be seen how much she will be paid if she starts to work again for the Senate after being fired in 2015. She was earning $60,000 at the time; Adams had said she would accept reinstatement at a salary of at least $100,000.

Adams could not immediately be reached for comment.

Senate President Karen Fann said she hasn’t had a chance to speak with attorneys since hearing about the order to decide what to do next.

On one hand, Fann said, there’s the court order which needs to be obeyed. But she also said it would be “awkward’’ to bring Adams back on board given all the history of her employment and the charges she brought against supervisors, including some senators.

“But we’ll figure it out,’’ Fann said.

“If that’s what she wants to do and that’s what we need to do, fine,’’ the Senate president continued. “But if there’s another alternative, that’s OK, too.’’

In July, a federal court jury sided with the claims by Adams, who is black, that she was paid less than other male, white counterparts.

Jurors also concluded she was discriminated against with respect to the amount of leave she was allowed to take. And they said she was fired for complaining about the discrimination.

They concluded that she was entitled to $1 million in compensatory damages.

Rayes, however, said federal law limits those damages to no more than $300,000.

The judge also rejected much of her claim that she was entitled to other damages.