HOUSTON -- A former manager at the Houston Mayor Pro Tem's Office filed an appeal Thursday to get her job back after she was terminated following an investigation into improper bonuses, KPRC Local 2 reported.

Rosie Hernandez was fired after the Office of the Inspector General concluded that she and three other employees improperly received more than $140,000 in bonuses in 2005.

Hernandez, Florence Watkins, Christopher May and Teresa Orta were terminated following a hearing last week.

Hernandez filed paperwork with the Civil Service Commission for a hearing, which will be held on April 4 at 8:30 a.m.

The Office of Inspector General said its investigation revealed "sufficient evidence to conclude that the four employees, in fact, received incentive bonuses and/or salary increases that were not approved or obtained in accordance with existing city policy and rules."

Hernandez's lawyer explained his client's defense.

"We've never seen the evidence against Rosie. Simply getting a bonus or simply getting a raise, the last time I checked, is not a violation of the law. It's only if it's unauthorized. If it's been authorized, then I don't see that it's a problem. And I think that's the crutch of the issue that we have today -- is whether in fact it was authorized," attorney Walter Boyd said.

Hernandez said councilwoman Carol Alvarado, who has temporarily stepped down as mayor pro tem, was aware of the questionable bonuses the she and three other employees received. Alvarado's initials appeared on the paperwork. Hernandez said that it was authentic. Alvarado contends her initials were forged.

"This investigation was thorough. It found that these four individuals inappropriately took $143,000 in taxpayer money and the right decision was made to terminate them," said Joe Householder, Alvarado's spokesman.

On Wednesday, the Harris County district attorney said the investigation into the City Hall bonus scandal would have to start all over again.

District Attorney Chuck Rosenthal said his office's investigation into the incident will start from the beginning since the OIG's investigation was not as beefed up as it could have been.

"They didn't do a criminal investigation so we're basically going to have to start from scratch. They can't investigate elected officials, but there are people with (the Houston Police Department) that are able to do that," Rosenthal said.

Rosenthal said his office would investigate every city office and employee, elected or appointed.

Officials have not said if the other three workers would file appeals. The deadline to file is Friday.