Connecticut Pays $300K to Settle Lawsuit Over CFO Interview Leak

The state of Connecticut quietly paid a $300,000 settlement to resolve a lawsuit claiming the 2022 hiring of a chief financial officer at the Department of Emergency Services and Public Protection (DESPP) was rigged.

This case, built on findings from an internal affairs investigation, stirred up questions about favoritism and integrity in state hiring. Oversight of key financial jobs that impact public safety agencies across Connecticut came under the spotlight.

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Settlement Ends Lawsuit Over Alleged “Sham” Hiring Process

Janet Andrews, a finalist for the DESPP chief financial officer job, filed the lawsuit. She claimed the hiring process was a “sham” and the outcome was already decided.

According to her complaint, another candidate got a major unfair advantage by receiving confidential interview questions before the official selection. Andrews sued both the state and four senior public safety officials, arguing the process violated basic fairness and transparency expected in Connecticut’s hiring practices.

For people from Hartford to Bridgeport, and from New Haven to Stamford, the case offered a rare peek at how high-level state jobs can be compromised when safeguards slip.

Key Terms of the $300,000 Agreement

The settlement went through mediation on September 23. The parties signed it about a month later, and the case was officially withdrawn on November 7.

Under the deal, the state didn’t admit any wrongdoing or violation of law. That’s a pretty standard clause in settlements like this involving public agencies.

Court and comptroller records break down the money like this:

$198,800 in compensatory damages to Janet Andrews

$101,200 in attorney’s fees to her legal team

The state comptroller’s office processed the payments on November 6. For taxpayers in places like Waterbury, Norwalk, and Danbury, the settlement is a reminder that bad hiring choices can cost real money—sometimes more than folks expect.

Allegations of Leaked Interview Questions and Collusion

At the core of Andrews’ lawsuit, she claimed the winning CFO candidate got confidential interview questions ahead of time. A friend elsewhere in state government allegedly leaked the questions, creating what Andrews described as a rigged process.

This denied Andrews a fair shot. The DESPP CFO oversees finances for the department, which handles state police, emergency communications, and public safety services from New Britain to Milford and beyond.

Hiring for this role should follow strict, merit-based procedures to keep public trust intact. Yet, this process didn’t seem to meet that standard.

Internal Affairs Investigation Backed Core Allegations

The DESPP hiring came under an internal affairs investigation that supported Andrews’ legal claims. Investigators looked into whether someone improperly shared interview materials and whether friendships inside state government influenced what should have been a fair, confidential process.

Investigative findings in court records say the hired CFO later used the earlier manipulation as leverage. When her job performance faced scrutiny, she reportedly threatened to expose her friend’s role in giving her the interview questions in advance.

That threat became a pivotal detail, showing the process had been compromised even before the lawsuit began.

Resignation, Retirement, and Questions of Accountability

The fallout didn’t end with a settlement check. The CFO who allegedly got the advance interview questions eventually resigned.

The Department of Administrative Services (DAS) employee accused of collusion—identified as the friend who supplied the questions—stayed on paid administrative leave for a long stretch. That DAS employee retired in February 2025, finishing state service without a public disciplinary hearing.

This timeline of resignation and retirement has sparked quiet, persistent questions in towns like West Hartford, East Hartford, and Middletown. People wonder: does Connecticut really pursue accountability when high-level hiring goes off the rails?

Impact on Public Trust in State Hiring

The state insists the settlement doesn’t mean anyone admits guilt. Still, a hefty payout, internal affairs findings, and the exit of several people send a pretty clear signal on their own.

For folks in Connecticut—whether they’re residents or job seekers—the case shows just how easily hiring systems can get shaky when personal connections sneak past the rules.

After the Andrews settlement, people in government-watchdog and legal circles are keeping a close eye on what happens next. Will DESPP, DAS, and other agencies actually tighten up how they hire?

With big public safety and financial jobs shaping communities from Groton to New London, you have to wonder: Does the process really protect the public as much as it should, or just favor the well-connected?

Here is the source article for this story: CT pays $300K to settle suit claiming leaked interview questions to job candidate

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