Furloughed Kane Co. sheriff's employees will get money back

A Kane County Board decision to furlough 26 sheriff's department employees to close out 2009 has turned into more of an extra paid vacation than a message about failed leadership.

Sheriff Pat Perez confirmed Wednesday the county has struck a deal with the employees to pay them every penny they would've received if they'd worked the four days they were furloughed. The decision comes after some of the 26 employees hired Naperville attorney Steven Calcaterra, who fired off a letter to the county saying the furloughs had an unjust impact to the pensions those employees will receive upon retirement.

While there was no expressed threat of a lawsuit in the letter, Perez said it was clear a lawsuit was possible. Calcaterra could not be reached for comment.

To avoid a potential suit, Perez said he and the county board have agreed to resolve the grievance by paying the employees what they would've received. The money, about $32,000 total, will be paid from 2009 surplus funds, which the county board gave Perez to close his budget deficit at the end of the year.

"I think the main beef was, while none of them had an issue with being furloughed because the economics dictated it, they would've liked a little bit more notice," Perez said.

At the time the county board approved the furloughs, Perez said the employees didn't know the unpaid days off were coming.

Following that furlough vote, Kane County Board Chairman Karen McConnaughay said the furloughs were, in part, to send a message to the command staff about its budget failings.

"These are the folks who needed to come up with a solution at the eleventh hour," McConnaughay said of the command staff. "And those are the people who got furloughed."

Perez said the relationship between his staff and the county board is much improved following recent successful union contract negotiations for concessions in 2010. However, he couldn't answer whether or not the message behind the furloughs is lost with the employees now receiving their pay.

"That question should probably be asked of somebody from the board," Perez said.

McConnaughay could not be reached for comment.

• Daily Herald staff writer Josh Stockinger contributed to this story