Kane committee hints layoffs may happen
If an early retirement program Kane County employees might love doesn't knock them out of their jobs, something they'll hate - layoffs - just might.
The county board's special budget task force agreed upon a voluntary retirement plan that could see as many as 165 employees end their time with the county earlier than they otherwise might have. The idea is to get their salaries off the payroll as soon as possible to help the county solve a budget gap both for this year and 2010.
Employees who are 55 or older with at least eight years as a county employee would be eligible. In trade for quitting, or retiring, the employees would be paid out all the vacation, compensatory time and sick days they have earned. They'll also be allowed to use some sick days to enhance their Illinois Municipal Retirement Fund pension.
And they'll have the option of keeping their county health insurance plan for up to five years, or taking a payout of $4,000 if they forgo both the insurance and COBRA insurance when they leave. The county will pay between 10 and 50 percent of the premium costs if they keep the insurance, depending on how long they've been an employee.
The county is targeting employees of the sheriff's office even more by offering a more lucrative program. They would get a $7,500 payout if they forgo county insurance and COBRA. If they keep the county insurance, the county will pay 50 percent of the premium costs no matter how long they've been employed.
The county board is expected to approve the plan on July 14. Employees would have until Aug. 31 to accept the offer.
There are a few major catches that may affect how much this move really improves the county's budget problems.
By the time any of the salaries come off the books, the county will already be near the end of the current fiscal year, a fact not lost on Jay Bennett, the chief deputy in the Kane County Clerk's office.
"I've also been thinking about how this affects my '09 budget," Bennett said. "It doesn't. We need help on how we're going to get through the end of '09." The task force recognized there would only be minimal immediate savings for the final couple months of the fiscal year if the plan moves forward. But it remains to be seen how many employees even take the offer.
Kane County State's Attorney John Barsanti said 13 of 21 eligible employees in his office said no thanks, without even knowing the full details.
The success of the plan also hinges on elected department heads not filling any of the vacancies created when the employees leave for at least six months. The task force learned Tuesday that the county board has no power to enforce that except for cutting an official's budget despite his or her protest.
That's exactly the situation that sparked Kane County Circuit Court Clerk Deb Seyller's current exploration of a lawsuit against the county board.
Finally, the offer may be a moot point for some employees. Task force member Jerry Jones, of Aurora, said some county departments are highly dependent on state grants to fund staff positions. Some departments recently received letters informing them those grants are reduced or eliminated, meaning those employees may soon be laid off, Jones said. After the meeting, Jones would not comment on any departments he's aware of that will issue the layoff notices, but said that information will come out "very soon" if it comes to that.