Disability Pays… Unless the Sun Times Catches You

Convicted of a felony, a Chicago firefighter filed an injury claim that blocked his firing and now pays him  $38,619 a year in tax-free disability pay. The title of the Chicago Sun-Times series in which this was revealed says it all: “Disability Pays.” For some public employees, disability claims have become sources of easy, long-term pay as they move on to new careers. And taxpayers foot the bill.

 
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Want to Stay Home and Get Paid? Work for Illinois

Ever wish you could just stay home from work and still get paid? If you work for the state and get placed on administrative leave, that’s what happens – and it’s cost taxpayers $23 million over the last five years. One example: counselor in the Department of Human Services spent more than three years on administrative leave being investigated for misappropriating funds. She  received four raises while on leave, making $74,300 when she finally was eventually fired. Does fairness need to cost this much?