Deal to end lottery litigation involves $54K payout
A former Minnesota Lottery executive has been paid about $54,000 to settle a wrongful termination lawsuit under terms made public Tuesday.
Johnene Canfield was second-in-command at the lottery when she was fired in 2015 amid a series of incidents involving public intoxication. She had sued claiming discrimination. The lawsuit had been scheduled to go to trial this spring but was settled at the last minute.
Details of the settlement have only now been released. The payout includes the amount to be turned over to her attorney for his fees.
The state admitted no wrongdoing, and both sides said in the stipulation it was being done to head off additional costs from legal proceedings.
Canfield has dropped all remaining legal claims, including a grievance she had filed over her firing from a separate civil service position she held. Canfield had sought reinstatement as part of her lawsuit but won't return to the state ranks.
"She's happy that it's done," said her attorney, Kevin Beck. "I mean she avoids protracted litigation and just kind of closes this chapter and moves on with her life."
The settlement was reached as a new lottery executive took over. That leader, Robert Doty, signed off on the agreement.
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