Fresno Unified Settles Age Discrimination Lawsuit with Nurses for $1.76 Million

Three veteran Fresno Unified school nurses secured a $1,765,000 settlement from the district after alleging that a superintendent's cousin steered promotions to younger, less experienced colleagues and then retaliated against the nurses for complaining about it.

Joni Kolb, Janell Beamon, and Heidi Sagaser filed the complaint in 2024, accusing the district of age, race, and disability discrimination alongside multiple counts of retaliation and harassment. All three had decades of experience as nurses in the district, according to GV Wire reporting on the case. The lawsuit alleged that Xai "Liz" Torres, Director of Health Services and a cousin of Superintendent Misty Her, awarded nursing positions to younger candidates with less experience.

The district paid the full $1,765,000 in two installments: the first on Dec. 15, 2025, and the second on Jan. 15, 2026. As part of the agreement, the plaintiffs "release and forever discharge" Fresno Unified and all related individuals from any and all claims. The parties characterized the outcome as an "amicable resolution," and the district did not admit wrongdoing.

Attorney Howard Sagaser, who is Heidi Sagaser's ex-husband, offered a blunt assessment of what the nurses actually gained. "I would describe it as the definition of a livable settlement where neither side is happy," he said. "The nurses are relieved to be out of what they maintain was a hostile work environment but are concerned that the underlying problems that prompted the lawsuit have not been properly addressed by the district."

Sagaser predicted the financial sting would nevertheless produce results, saying the settlement cost will "force overdue and necessary changes at the administrative level."

Fresno Unified did not respond to a request for comment. The district's silence leaves open questions about whether it plans any administrative restructuring, what role Torres continues to hold, and how it intends to address the discrimination concerns that outlasted the litigation itself.