When the state budget went into effect last August, a provision within the law provided a 48-cent hourly wage increase to 28,000 state workers who provide in-home care to people with disabilities. But those workers still haven't seen that money yet.
Illinois Gov. Bruce Rauner's administration has suspended its no-overtime policy for workers caring for disabled residents in their homes, just hours before the workers' union planned to file a lawsuit
challenging its legality. Secretary of Human Services James Dimas will seek permission to bar overtime hours through a legislatively approved rule.
Governor Bruce Rauner has vetoed legistlation that would tie the prevailing wage on public construction projects to the nearest union-worker wage agreement. Rauner also vetoed bills affecting in-home care workers.
A labor union of home health care workers has filed legal action to force the government to pay health insurance costs. SEIU Healthcare Illinois filed the temporary restraining order against the governor and comptroller. The state owes $11.8 million since July.
Advocates for senior citizens and people with disabilities are assessing how action Friday by the Republican governor affects services they say they depend on.
