Casino overpaid former worker

Cowlitz Tribal Gaming Authority is suing a former Ilani Casino Resort employee to recoup more than $13,600 the business mistakenly paid her in the months after her employment had ended.

According to the lawsuit filed Thursday in Clark County Superior Court, Stephanie Garza was employed as a table games supervisor at the casino from Jan. 16, 2017, to June 1, 2017. She received payment every two weeks by direct deposit.

After her employment ended, however, the business erroneously continued to pay her through mid-October — nine checks totaling $13,672.01, the suit says.

When the Cowlitz Tribal Gaming Authority realized the mistake, it contacted Garza on Feb. 8 and requested she pay back the money. But Garza did not respond, according to the complaint.

“By refusing to reimburse (Cowlitz Tribal Gaming Authority) for the overpayment, Ms. Garza has wilfully interfered with (Cowlitz Tribal Gaming Authority’s) ownership of and entitlement to the overpayment funds,” the suit states.

The complaint seeks damages for the overpayment plus prejudgment and post-judgment interest, as well as attorney fees and any other costs associated with the suit.

Cowlitz Tribal Gaming Authority is being represented by Joseph Vance of Miller Nash Graham & Dunn LLP in Vancouver.

Efforts to reach Garza were unsuccessful. It’s unknown if she’s retained an attorney.

The parties are due in court for a mandatory scheduling hearing Aug. 17, court records show.