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Patch's Poll: Should The 40 State Workers Get Their Jobs Back?

An arbitrator ruled last week that a group of state employees who lost their jobs amid an alleged scandal last year should be reinstated. Do you agree with the decision?

A group of state workers who left voluntarily or were fired last year amid allegations that they fraudulently got state assistance following Tropical Storm Irene were given their jobs back last week.

Gov. Dannel P. Malloy’s administration accused 40 state workers — some earning more than $100,000 a year — of lying in order to obtain aid under the Disaster Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program following the storm.

But the because they mistakenly filled out the assistance forms and didn’t intend to commit fraud.

"They exercised their due process rights, paid back the money received, were adequately disciplined and will be reinstated to their state positions," Sal Luciano, a union representative, told The Connecticut Mirror.

A number of Patch readers reacted to this news with criticism, so much so that .

So, do you think the arbitrator made the best decision in saying the workers should be reinstated? Take our poll and share your thoughts in the comments.

Danno June 18, 2012 at 04:07 pm
I believe they should get their jobs back. Filing for the assistance has not relation to who they are employed by. How many people in the private sector defrauded the state in this situation? No one knows because they only targeted state workers. I know one of them and she was fired for making a simple mistake on the form she filled out in a convoluted process. Everyone that works with her was devastated because of the great person she is and pleasure to work with. They should focus more on the trouble employees who's performance is horrible. Once your in the state it seems too hard to fire someone. Get rid of the Unions and base state employees pay on a merit system where you get rewarded for your good work opposed to the unions supporting those who want to perform the least amount of work to just get by.
Wyatt June 18, 2012 at 07:20 pm
I agree that they should get their jobs back. The arbitrator ruled that they did not commit fraud, meaning they were fired for something they didn't do.
janice June 18, 2012 at 07:36 pm
No they should not get their jobs back........they as usual milk the system.....in the first place....they work for the government dont they........what ever happend to being above board in a government job........i guess that left with the real jobs now in over sea's
Wyatt June 18, 2012 at 08:03 pm
Since the arbitrator didn't find that they committed fraud, on what grounds would you terminate their employment?
Michele June 18, 2012 at 08:06 pm
no I dont believe they should get their job back. there are too many honest people out there looking for work. even though that women filled out the form wrong and the others paid back the money, the intent was there to defraud. it's like embezzling. no other person in the real world would get their job back from the company they tried to steal from.
WindsorRocks June 18, 2012 at 09:41 pm
How do you "mistakenly" fill out forms?? Total B.S. The forms should have never even crossed their desks. How do STATE EMPLOYEES even consider applying for state assistance? Their names were on the forms with their signature right? Well guess what that means... THEY COMMITTED FRAUD.
WindsorRocks June 18, 2012 at 09:43 pm
I agree that the state employees should maintain their employment based on merit, however, they had NO BUSINESS even filling out the SNAP forms in the first place. What did they fill them out just to see if maybe they qualify??? Either you NEED assistance or you don't. There shouldn't be grey areas.
Robertsair June 18, 2012 at 11:06 pm
absolutly NO; These are people hired into a possition of trust.
Maddie June 19, 2012 at 12:57 pm
It may come as a surprise to you that not all State employees make the same salaries as UConn coaches and physicians at the Health Center. If you are married with two kids and work for the State as a Custodian, you qualifiy for State assistance when there is a disaster such as storm Irene. This was a one-time deal to help recover from the disaster. There were State employees who legitimately qualified for the assistance because their income warranted it.
David Moelling June 19, 2012 at 01:08 pm
The real issue is that they assumed it was OK to game the system. Just like using overtime and sick leave to pad retirement income, the mentality is that it's all a cookie jar to be looted. There is little self reliance or integrity shown here.
George June 19, 2012 at 01:45 pm
Of course they should get their jobs back!! And they should probably get a huge bonus as well. These employees showed great initiative in seeking out benefits, put in place for the neediest of our citizens. Not only that, they endured the harsh difficulties of navigating through State paperwork! No small feat indeed! Rather than punishing these rescourceful individuals, they should be rewarded. Perhaps publishing their names in the newspapers, so that we can all tip our hats to them and congratulate them when we see them out and about in our communities would be an appropriate gesture. Hats off to the State arbitrator for a job well done!!
stacy June 19, 2012 at 02:10 pm
Yes
Marty Salvatore June 19, 2012 at 02:15 pm
I really don't think this should be an "all or none" issue. We simply don't have enough facts to make such sweeping statements as "they should ALL be fired." The guy who makes over $100,000 a year? Yeah. Fire that guy. But a single-parent janitor? Probably not. (And I admit that I totally made up that example. I'm just using it for example's sake. Because, again, we don't really know all the FACTS.) We seem to be dealing in generalities here when it should really be a case-by-case decision.
Sami Mehmed Jr June 19, 2012 at 03:02 pm
@Marty .... good point(s). The concern of many citizens rests with the arbitrator / arbitration process. Question: Should one person have the power too over-ride a state governors decision without taking the case to the states judicial system? Impression! Union preferred method is arbitration and somehow usually benefit at the expense of the private sector. Could the states investigators mistake fraud for a simple filing mistake? Wow. If you or I made that mistake, we would be held accountable.
Cynara Stites June 19, 2012 at 07:05 pm
How can I secondguess an arbitrator's ruling without knowing the evidence presented to the arbitrator? I believe that the arbitrator is right based on the news accounts that none of these state employees misrepresented their income to the emergency DSNAP program.
Ed Putman June 20, 2012 at 01:05 am
The state workers seem to be guilty of insider trading rather than fraud. WTIC warned us of the impending storm days in advance but the first sign I got of a give away program was seeing the hundreds of state workers lined up like Wallmart shoppers on black friday. The next time the feds want to send some of our money back to us in CT they should tell the radio stations before they tell the Governor. There is a serious leak in that office.
WindsorRocks June 20, 2012 at 01:27 am
are you serious?
WindsorRocks June 20, 2012 at 01:28 am
touche mr. putman
G.L. Ferris July 27, 2012 at 01:10 pm
How do state employees milk the system when it comes to performance expectations?

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