Rensselaer employee whose salary cut to $100 seeks damages

NewsChannel 13 has obtained a copy of the notice of claim filed by the city employee whose salary the Rensselaer Common Council cut to $100.

Jason Schofield has taken legal action against the city over the move, which the mayor says his politically motivated by the council’s Democratic majority.

Schofield pleaded guilty in a ballot fraud case and awaiting sentencing. He testified against three other Rensselaer County employees in U.S. District Court.

Schofield was appointed by Mayor Michael Stammel in August to a position as senior clerk in the code enforcement office. The council in September voted to cut the salary. Stammel has vetoed that resolution and council President John DeFrancesco told NewsChannel 13 previously that that council would be likely late next week to override the veto.

Schofield’s filing said that he has the skills and experience, despite his conviction, which the mayor and code director “found had no bearing on Claimant’s ability to do the job.” He added that he was informed that he was doing a satisfactory job and there were no complaints about his performance.

Schofield said that New York State Correction Law states that it is public policy to “encourage the licensure and employment of persons previously convicted of one or more criminal offenses.”

He said that DeFrancesco made a public statement that Schofield “Just doesn’t belong here.”

“The actions by Respondents were malicious and intended to cause harm and embarrassment to claimant,” the lawsuit said. 

He is seeking his entire salary and benefits, legal fees and expenses.

Meanwhile, the ballot fraud trial is still going on.

A total of 25 witnesses have been called during nine days of the trial. Richard Crist, James Gordon and Leslie Wallace are accused of getting absentee ballots on behalf of other people and using them to vote over and over during a conspiracy to rig elections in 2021.