New Hampshire’s Commissioner of employment security has resigned amid allegations that she hired her daughter for a part time job and then had her fired so she could collect unemployment benefits.
Commissioner Tara Reardon’s resignation letter to the Governor says she is “stepping down to pursue other opportunities.” In a separate statement to the press, she claims disgruntled employees “distorted the truth and fabricated a story.” Governor Lynch, for his part says the allegations facing Reardon are serious ones and that he is disappointed.
“These are very, very serious allegations involving nepotism, conflict of interest and potential misuse of employment security funds, so I believe she made the right decisions in resigning and I believe the executive council made the right decision in accepting her resignation.”
According to a the Nashua Telegraph, which first reported on the whistleblower complaint against Reardon, Reardon’s daughter Whitney Flanders collected $1010 in unemployment benefits after being laid off from a part-time summer internship. The same complaint claims the daughter of deputy commissioner Darrell Gates was paid $166 in unemployment at Gates's behest after working at the department part time in 2010 and 2011.
