An independent arbitrator has overturned the firing of a Shasta County employee. Benjamin Nowain, an outspoken critic of the three-person majority of Shasta County's Board of Supervisors, was fired from his staff analyst position in October 2024 for spreading rumors in the office.
Independent arbitrator David Weinberg found County Supervisor Kevin Crye and Executive Officer David Rickert pressured the county's health and human services agency to fire Nowain, violating his rights to a fair process.
Weinberg also concluded that firing Nowain was excessive.
“His record does not indicate the kind of poor performance where one additional disciplinary infraction should result in termination,” Weinberg said in the decision.
Weinberg's decision orders Shasta County to reinstate Nowain to his job, with a one-week suspension, and to pay him for his lost time, which would likely include back pay and lost benefits.
Nowain said he would be happy to return to his job at the county. He said he’s had difficulty finding a new job after this incident.
“Really, it was their decision to try and get rid of me because they didn't like the way that I behaved politically,” he said.
Separately from this case, Nowain was arrested on Jan. 6 for refusing to leave the county chambers during a meeting after speaking out.
Nowain said the county has had issues with staff being pushed out for a while, and he’s encouraging others to not give up.
“You'll lose out not only on a potential award," Nowain said. "You'll also miss out on really holding the county accountable, which I think is extremely important to create a better environment for the employees that remain there.”
He said that it could take weeks to months to return to work, depending on whether the county challenges the decision. County Counsel Joseph Larmour declined to comment, citing personnel matters.
