Thanks to UE Persistence,
Iowa Social Workers
Receive
Overtime Checks
CEDAR RAPIDS, Iowa
Carol Watchorn, a member of UE Local 893, Iowa United
Professionals, has reason to smile. She received the largest individual back pay
check from the State of Iowa as a result of the overtime settlement
negotiated by the union.
More than 100 state employees in the Social Worker III
classification share in an award totaling in excess of $300,000.
The case began years ago, when Field Org. Sylvia Kelley
persuaded the U.S. Labor Dept. to investigate the States failure to pay
overtime to employees in the Social Worker II category. As a result, Social
Worker IIs received two years of back pay, the most permissible by law.
Eventually, the Labor Dept. concluded that the Social Worker
IIIs were also not exempt from overtime requirements under federal law. The
State agreed to begin paying time and one-half after 40 hours but refused to
pay the Social Worker IIIs back wages. Local 893 filed a lawsuit against the
State.
Faced with the likelihood of a union victory in court, the
State agreed to settle.
Individual payments range from a few dollars to the $6,603.57
received by Carol Watchorn.
UE News - 06/00
