Assembly settles pay lawsuit against former member

Reporting from Sacramento —  The state Assembly agreed to pay $110,000 to settle an overtime and sexual harassment lawsuit against a former state legislator.

In February 2014, a former legislative staffer, Kristina Zahn, sued the now-ousted Assemblyman Steve Fox (D-Palmdale), alleging that the one-term legislator forced her to do unpaid campaign work, refused to pay her overtime and made inappropriate sexual comments.

Zahn worked as a paralegal for Fox’s law firm, and after Fox’s election to the state Assembly in 2012, became a secretary and field scheduler in his Palmdale district office. Zahn said she was wrongfully terminated in July 2013 after she was absent from work for three days because of a badly dislocated shoulder.

In a settlement agreement dated July 8, the state Assembly agreed to pay Zahn $110,000 -- including $11,000 in lost wages and $20,000 for alleged personal injuries. Fox’s law firm agreed to pay Zahn an additional $15,000.

The state Assembly and Fox continue to deny all allegations, according to the settlement agreement.

Fox lost a closely watched Assembly race in November to GOP challenger Tom Lackey.

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