WARREN – SAD 40 has agreed to pay $15,000 to the U.S. Immigration and Naturalization Service for violations of federal employment laws, which included hiring a Canadian teacher in 1998 who wasn’t authorized to work in this country.

The INS had sought $21,205, but the district appealed the fine and voted Monday to settle it for as much as $15,000, Superintendent William Doughty said Thursday.

SAD 40 attorneys have been negotiating with an administrative law judge and INS attorneys, Doughty said. It is believed that the fine will be no more than $15,000 and may be less.

The board voted unanimously Monday to settle the matter for a maximum of $15,000, which would be paid for with contingency funds.

According to board Chairman Sam Pennington, only $15,000 was budgeted this year for the contingency fund, and, therefore, the fine “wipes it out.”

It could be three months before the district learns exactly how much the negotiated fine will be, Doughty said.

Only a small portion of the fine – about $600 – was based on the illegal hiring of Canadian teacher Julie McNamee, who was hired by former Superintendent Roger Spugnardi in August 1998, Doughty said.

The remainder of the penalty was for smaller fines for not completing I-9 forms properly for other employees.

I-9 forms are employment eligibility documents that must be completed by all workers regardless of national origin to prove authorization to work in this country.

At the time of the INS inspection, SAD 40 had approximately 130 employees. Some of the forms for employees may not have been endorsed in the right place or proper documentation may not have been obtained, Doughty explained.