SPRINGFIELD, Ill. (WAND) — In a committee meeting at the state capitol Wednesday, a Democratic lawmaker talked about a bill that would try to find out why Department of Human Services front line workers are being underpaid.
The plan would create a commission that would study if DHS gives lower wages compared to private companies. It would also study if wages are lowered based on race or gender.
Many of these workers include teachers, nurses, therapists and care givers. One program is CILA, that gives assisted living for multiple people living with disabilities. State Rep. Lindsey LaPointe (D-Chicago) said this bill is necessary to protect essential workers.
"We've heard in the DSP debate how people are walking away from their jobs at CILA's to go work at Bed Bath and Beyond," LaPointe said. "This bill seeks to mitigate that issue."
If the plan were to pass, it would also give recommendations to the Governor's Office of Management and Budget on how to ensure all workers are getting paid a fair wage.
The committee held a subject matter hearing on this proposal, so there was no vote to send it out to the House floor. Lawmakers could bring it back for a vote in the coming weeks.
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