Fresno City Hall agreed on Friday to pay $1.2 million to former employee Tina Griffin, ending a whistleblower and workplace retaliation claim without admitting fault, according to a settlement released by the city.
Griffin, who spent two decades working in the city attorney’s office, says an independent investigation confirmed that her legal analysis of a proposed amendment to the city’s Transparency Act triggered retaliatory actions by City Attorney Andrew Janz. The analysis, provided in mid‑December 2025, questioned whether Janz had a conflict of interest and whether the amendment violated state law.
Following the analysis, Griffin alleges Janz immediately began a series of unlawful adverse actions, including removing her authority and moving toward termination. Griffin filed a confidential complaint with the City Council and the Personnel Director on December 19, 2025, alleging retaliation. She also filed a Government Tort claim, which the city had not yet investigated, before agreeing to withdraw the claim as part of the settlement.
City records show the Council had tabled discussion of the Transparency Act amendment on December 18, one day before Griffin’s complaint. The settlement includes Griffin’s decision to separate from city services under the terms of the agreement, citing “the best interest” of avoiding further litigation costs.
In a statement included in the city’s news release, Griffin said the independent investigator’s findings “substantiated my allegations of the facts that occurred after I gave my legal opinion and found that my legal opinion contributed to Mr. Janz’s actions towards me.” The city’s unsigned statement echoed that the investigator “obtained facts and evidence that are sufficient to substantiate Ms. Griffin’s allegations” but emphasized the settlement is a “no‑fault” resolution and denied any legal violations by Janz.
The city did not provide comments from Janz. While the payout represents a significant expense for municipal finances, officials noted that the settlement resolves the dispute and allows the attorney’s office to continue its work without ongoing litigation.
What’s next: The city will monitor compliance with the settlement terms and continue reviewing the Transparency Act amendment. Residents can expect the city attorney’s office to operate under the same leadership, with the council likely to address any further transparency concerns at upcoming meetings.
Sources: fresnoland.org
