North Idaho College settles Rumpler lawsuit

COEUR d’ALENE — North Idaho College has settled a lawsuit leveled by a former employee.

Laura Rumpler, NIC’s former chief communications officer, sued the college in early 2024, alleging trustees violated the terms of her employment contract and Idaho’s employment laws. 

NIC trustees signed a settlement Feb. 26 resolving the matter, the college confirmed Friday. The board agreed to pay $14,000 to Rumpler and $6,000 to Rumpler’s attorneys. 

When Rumpler filed the lawsuit, she sought at least $216,000 in attorney fees and damages.

“We’re happy to lay this issue to rest,” Tom Greene, NIC interim chief communications and government relations officer, said in a news release issued Friday. “NIC looks forward to continuing to focus on its core mission of providing an outstanding education to our students and serving our community.” 

Rumpler’s civil complaint alleged that NIC, trustees and the college president created an “unsafe and untenable” workplace for Rumpler through “toxic, retaliatory and harassing conduct” that ultimately left her with “no choice but to resign.” She resigned from her job at NIC in September 2023.

“NIC categorically denies any and all wrongdoing or liability in the matter,” said a news release. “The decision to settle the case was based on the best interests of NIC, avoiding the high cost and distraction of litigation and maintaining a positive path forward.”

Greene said bringing the case to trial would have been costly even if NIC prevailed, with attorney fees likely to exceed $250,000.

Before filing the lawsuit, Rumpler submitted a grievance to the board of trustees and the college’s legal counsel, the details of which remain unclear. She sought a $1.3 million settlement from NIC, according to court records. 

That figure was first revealed during an August 2023 board meeting, when trustees voted 3-2 to negotiate the terms of a settlement with a then-undisclosed former employee, later confirmed to be Rumpler.

At that time, Trustee Tarie Zimmerman publicly questioned the wisdom of negotiating such a settlement when the third-party investigation into Rumpler’s grievances was incomplete.

“Does anybody want to open their bank account?” Zimmerman said during the 2023 meeting. “I think the sum — can I say the sum? $1.3 million. That’s on the taxpayers' back.”

Rumpler could not be reached for comment Friday.