Former public defender employee termination rescinded, then she resigns

Staff report

WARREN

The Ohio Public Defender’s Office recently rescinded the termination of Rachel Zban, former program manager for the Trumbull County branch of the Ohio Public Defender’s Office, and gave her back pay – but Zban later resigned.

A July 10 letter from Elizabeth Miller, assistant Ohio public defender, to Zban says Zban’s termination had been rescinded, and she was being placed on paid administrative leave retroactive to May 11, the day her termination took effect.

The administrative leave was “not discipline,” but she was not being asked to return to her job at the public defender’s office and was scheduled to receive a new predisciplinary hearing, the letter says.

However, the new predisciplinary hearing was never held, “as Ms. Zban resigned from her position with the [Ohio Public Defender’s Office] effective Monday, July 15, 2019,” Miller told The Vindicator in an email.

Zban had been terminated after an internal investigation indicated she and another employee deserved discipine for poor performance, poor judgment, “disruptive, offensive, abusive behavior or language toward an employee, client or member of the public” and other things.

The other employee resigned.

The Trumbull County branch has provided legal representation since 1984 to low-income defendants throughout the county’s courts.

The investigation, which began April 24, included interviews with Zban and other employees.