Butler County will pay $96,000 to an employee that a court determined was improperly terminated.

The county commissioners on Wednesday approved a settlement with Jo Donaldson of Center Township, a former Area Agency on Aging employee who sued the county for wrongful termination and who the Commonwealth Court ruled in favor of in June.

Under the settlement, Donaldson got her job back and received back pay. County solicitor Mike English said Donaldson later chose not to work at the county anymore.

The $96,000 is for back pay — a figure English said is offset for unemployment and other income Donaldson made during her time away from the county.

Additionally, English said the county’s insurance company will pay Donaldson $25,000, part of a settlement for Donaldson to drop a federal age discrimination suit against the county that still was active after the Commonwealth Court case was settled.

Donaldson was fired May 7, 2013, for alleged misconduct.

She appealed, saying she was unjustly fired. A county-appointed panel upheld her firing in 2014, and Donaldson appealed that decision.

The Commonwealth Court said the panel’s decision to uphold Donaldson’s firing was not in accordance with the law and was based on “improperly adduced law and facts.”

Commissioner Jim Eckstein, who was the only commissioner who voted against firing Donaldson, said the county would not have to pay so much money if the commissioners voted to not terminate her. He said she was a good employee.

Commissioner Bill McCarrier, board chairman, noted two county boards and a county judge ruled in favor of the county’s decision to fire Donaldson.