Judge Affirms Water District Workers’ Claims Seeking Deferred Compensation

CHICAGO—An Illinois judge Aug. 8 certified a class of approximately 1,150 nonunion employees of the Metropolitan Water Reclamation District of Greater Chicago (MWRD) who lost termination pay and sick leave pay benefits under a unilateral decision by the district to control employee costs (Gaweda v. MWRD of Greater Chicago).

Cook County Circuit Court Judge Richard J. Billik certified two classes in litigation challenging a 2010 decision by the MWRD Board of Commissioners to limit two deferred compensation benefit programs. The employees include engineers, biologists, managers, salaried plant workers, and various other personnel within MWRD.

Patrick Deady, an attorney ...