Alum Rock Union School District sues former board members for overpaid benefits

The Alum Rock Union School District in San Jose is suing four former board members for health and welfare benefits district officials mistakenly paid them, according to the Mercury News.

The lawsuits, filed in Santa Clara County Superior Court, asks Karen Martinez, Esau Herrera, Delores Marquez and Khanh Tran to pay the district more than $10,000 each.

The district had been paying 100 percent of the benefit premiums for its board members, but only 85 percent of the premium of district employees. California law prohibits paying members of  legislative bodies more than the “most generous” benefits given to employees of the agency they oversee, according to the Mercury News.

Last year district officials realized the mistake and sent letters to former and current board members asking for them to pay back the money the district had spent on the premiums over the allowed 85 percent, according to the article. They sued the four who refused.