Nevada Treasurer Zachโฃ Conineโข Settles โLawsuitโ with Former Employee Ahead of Attorney general Bid
LAS VEGAS – Nevada Stateโข Treasurer Zach ConineS โoffice has โขreached an undisclosed settlement โคwith Sheila Salehian, a former employeeโข who alleged age and disability discrimination following her 2019 โdismissal.โ The settlement, finalized Septemberโ 5, averts a trial scheduledโฃ for โSeptember 11 where Conine was โคlisted as a potential witness.
Salehian filed the lawsuit in โค2021, claiming she was fired due to her age – 58 at the time – and a recent skinโ cancer diagnosis.She managedโค Nevada’sโ Millennium Scholarship program before her termination,and her replacement was 38 yearsโข old.Salehian argued โthis โขage difference, coupled with alleged comments โfrom Conine’s staff regarding her experience, demonstrated unlawful discrimination.
Conine’s office consistentlyโ denied โthe allegations.โ While a federal districtโฃ court initially dismissed the lawsuit โคin October 2023, citing insufficientโ evidence,โฃ a 9th Circuit Court of Appealsโ panel โpartially reversed that decision in โNovember 2024, allowing one โage-discrimination claim to proceed to trial. โค
The treasurer’sโ office previously stated to โ The Nevadaโค independent in August โthat it had “already prevailed โขon 10 of 11 claims originally filed in this case.”
Conine launched his campaign for Nevada Attorney General in โMay and faces a competitive primaryโ challenge from Senateโฃ Majority Leaderโ Nicole Cannizzaro (D-Lasโ Vegas), who announced her candidacy in July.โ the primary election is slated forโ next June.Current Nevada Attorney General Aaron Ford,โข a Democrat, is term-limited and is running for governor in 2026.
Representatives forโ Conine and Salehian did โnot respond to requestsโข for comment.