How Can State Workers Get Paid When There's No State Budget?
From the Chicago Daily Law Bulletin
Illinois won't be allowed to pay state workers in full during an ongoing budget impasse, a Cook County judge ruled Tuesday, effectively leaving some 65,000 employees without a paycheck as lawmakers continue to fight over a new spending plan.
In response to a request for a legal review by Attorney General Lisa Madigan, Judge Diane Joan Larsen said Illinois Comptroller Leslie Munger may pay only some workers who are covered under a federal law. Those workers would receive federal minimum wage of $7.25 per hour plus overtime.
But Munger's attorneys and lawyers for the state's personnel agency said it would take as long as a year to determine which employees would be paid under federal law and adjust payroll because of antiquated computer systems.
That means no workers will be paid until Republican Gov. Bruce Rauner and Democrats who control the Legislature approve a budget, the comptroller's attorneys said. It's also likely to trigger federal fines and penalties.
Larsen's ruling likely won't be the final word. Lawyers for Munger indicated they will appeal, and 13 labor unions representing state employees have filed a separate lawsuit in St. Clair County seeking full pay.
Read more in our daily News Update...
From the Chicago Daily Law Bulletin
Illinois won't be allowed to pay state workers in full during an ongoing budget impasse, a Cook County judge ruled Tuesday, effectively leaving some 65,000 employees without a paycheck as lawmakers continue to fight over a new spending plan.
In response to a request for a legal review by Attorney General Lisa Madigan, Judge Diane Joan Larsen said Illinois Comptroller Leslie Munger may pay only some workers who are covered under a federal law. Those workers would receive federal minimum wage of $7.25 per hour plus overtime.
But Munger's attorneys and lawyers for the state's personnel agency said it would take as long as a year to determine which employees would be paid under federal law and adjust payroll because of antiquated computer systems.
That means no workers will be paid until Republican Gov. Bruce Rauner and Democrats who control the Legislature approve a budget, the comptroller's attorneys said. It's also likely to trigger federal fines and penalties.
Larsen's ruling likely won't be the final word. Lawyers for Munger indicated they will appeal, and 13 labor unions representing state employees have filed a separate lawsuit in St. Clair County seeking full pay.
Read more in our daily News Update...