A years-long dispute between Fresno Unified and three school nurses who accused the district of age discrimination has been resolved with a $1.75 settlement.
Joni Kolb, Janell Beamon and Heidi Sagaser sued the district in 2024 for discrimination and retaliation. According to the initial complaint, Kolb and Beamon — aged 63 and 59 at the time — applied for a nurse educator position.
Kolb and Beamon had more than 15 years experience as registered nurses at the school district, but lost out on the higher position to another nurse who was “much younger” and less qualified, according to their complaint.
Sagaser was 70 at the time of the initial complaint and had worked at Fresno Unified since 2014. Both she and Kolb allege the district’s director of health services, Liz Torres, made disparraging remarks about “older nurses” who were over the age of 50. Sagaser says she was retaliated against after expressing these concerns to Torres in 2022, per the complaint.
All three plaintiffs say they filed HR complaints over the matter in 2023.
In an amended complaint filed in October, the plaintiffs further alleged Sagaser faced anti-disability discrimination and said they were retaliated against for attempting to ensure student restrooms are compliant with the Americans with Disabilities Act.
After two years of litigation, the matter is settled.
According to the nurses’ attorney, Howard Sagaser, the school district denied any wrongdoing and paid the settlement through two payments in December and January. Per the agreement, Sagaser and Beamon agreed to go on administrative leave until they voluntarily resign in June. The third plaintiff, Kolb, is already retired.
Fresno Unified did not immediately respond to a request for comment.