40 workers get their jobs back after D-SNAP fraud

Updated: Friday, 15 Jun 2012, 8:18 AM EDT
Published : Thursday, 14 Jun 2012, 10:27 PM EDT

Jamie Muro

NEW HAVEN, Conn. (WTNH) -- After more than 100 state employees lost their jobs following an investigation into "D-SNAP" fraud, prompted by Governor Dannel Malloy, 40 of those people are getting their jobs back.

First, there was Irene, the Tropical Storm, then a storm of controversy followed.

The "Disaster Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program," or "D-SNAP" aimed to help people get anywhere from a few hundred bucks to more than a thousand dollars in food aid following Tropical Storm Irene.

"I received the benefit, and I never thought about it again," said Lynn, a state worker who was fired.

A state arbitrator says that 40 of the people who lost their jobs can now resume work, provided they pay full restitution to the state along with a suspension. There was no evidence of intentional fraud.

"But understand, no one has been let off the hook at all, and for people not be able to pick up back pay, in a situation like this, is pretty big," explained Lynn.

"I'm not going to steal 700 dollars when I have 22 years on the line," she said.

"I liken it to a slap on the hand from a parent saying, 'hey, don't use foul language,'" said Attorney Rich Rochlin.

Aid for DSNAP comes from taxpayer dollars, so News 8 wanted to get a few opinions on the arbitrators decision.

"They shouldn't have done it in the first place, that's the real thing," explained James Gore of New Haven, "but, I think it's fair, they got their job back."

"If they did actually defraud them, then, no, they don't deserves their jobs back," said Anita McFadden of New Haven.

The Governor is exploring whether there is a legal course of action to take in an appeal. Meanwhile, Lynn, having learned from a big mistake, is ready to go back to work.

"I think it's fair because I did do something wrong. I didn't intentionally go out to do something wrong, but in hindsight, I didn't deserve the benefit," she explained. "So, I'll take the suspension, and I'll go back to work."