Courthouse secretary Linda Raiha is a 25-year county employee. She filed her complaint in 2005 after applying for a full-time clerk position in city court. She wasn't interviewed or considered for the post. A younger woman was hired and then fired six months later.

The Human Rights Commission ruled Butte-Silver Bow must pay Raiha $6,900 for earnings she would have received in the job she applied for, and $5,000 for emotional distress. An attorney for Butte-Silver Bow, Tom Welsch, says he plans to appeal the ruling in Butte district court.