Federal judge enforces decree, says DCFS workers must be paid | Chicago

But he says Munger reneged later and said she couldn’t pay state employees working for the Department of Children and Family Services. “I am bringing this action to ensure that legally supported expenditures can continue to be made and to address the question of how the state payroll is legally managed during the budget impasse”, Madigan said in a statement.

Madigan filed a motion in Cook County Circuit Court that seeks a court order authorizing the comptroller’s office to, among other things, issue paychecks to state employees.

But Comptroller Leslie Munger’s office said Monday she agrees the money should be paid even without an approved state budget. Attorneys for Munger say that because of antiquated payroll systems, the ruling effectively means no workers will get paid until Rauner and Democrats who control the Legislature approve a budget.

Rauner spokesman Lance Trover says the governor believes state workers should be paid in full. Those workers would receive federal minimum wage of $7.25 per hour plus overtime.

The ruling Tuesday states Munger may only pay some state workers who are covered under federal law.

Rauner, a conservative businessman seeking reforms in Illinois, vetoed a spending plan passed by the Legislature that fell far short of available revenues, leaving the budget in the red. The ruling highlights the need for Gov. Rauner to stop his political posturing, negotiate in good faith and come to the table with solutions to a budget crisis he looks to have courted.

Speaking later, ACLU attorney Heidi Dalenberg said disagreement had focused on whether the comptroller could pay agency workers under a 2009 order during a similar budget impasse.

Without appropriation power, the comptroller is limited to paying only crucial bills, such as debt service, federal-program participation fees and payments required by court orders.