Judge Enjoins Wayne County Health Care Cutoff

DETROIT, June 25 /PRNewswire/ -- Today, Judge John A. Murphy ordered Wayne County to maintain health insurance for workers furloughed during the months of July and September.  Earlier this month, Wayne County issued layoff notices to AFSCME-represented employees.  The lay offs were for June 30, 2010 to July 11, 2010 and August 27, 2010 to September 12, 2010.  Wayne County had previously told employees who were going to be furloughed that if their furlough started on the 1st day of the month, they would forfeit their health insurance for the entire month.  In other words, employees would return to work in July and September, and work without health insurance for that month, without this injunction.  The court issued its injunction in response to a complaint filed by AFSCME on behalf of approximately 700 members who were being furloughed in violation of the Public Employment Relations Act (PERA).  An Unfair Labor Practice charge (ULP) has been filed with Michigan Employment Relations Commission (MERC), charging a violation of PERA committed by Wayne County in ordering furloughs of its employees attempting to eliminate their health insurance and not providing them with contractual notice.  The ULP will be heard by an administrative law judge at MERC.

For further information, contact Richard G. Mack at (313) 645-2095.

SOURCE Miller Cohen, P.L.C.