MADISON, Wis., Oct. 26 (UPI) -- Wisconsin Gov. Scott Walker has submitted a plan for a two-year wage freeze for state employees and changes in overtime rules to the state Legislature.
Employees would be eligible for merit raises under the proposal sent to the Legislature Tuesday, the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel reported. But those would be allowed only if agencies can balance the pay increases with cuts elsewhere and approval from the State Office of Employment Relations would be required.
Political employees could also get merit raises. They are capped at $8,588 annually for the highest-paid employees.
Walker, a Republican, won passage of a bill that eliminates most collective bargaining for public employees in Wisconsin. State workers are also being required to pay more for health insurance and pension coverage.
The pay freeze and new overtime rules would take effect Jan. 1 if Walker's proposal is approved by the Joint Committee on Employment Relations.
The overtime changes include eliminating rules that require supervisors to go down the seniority list for volunteers and then up for forced overtime. Employees would no longer receive time-and-a-half if they work the following shift after calling in sick for their assigned shift.
In 2008, the Journal Sentinel reported in an investigative piece that some prison guards often called in sick and then worked the next shift, increasing their pay substantially.
