Blackwell v. Illinois Department of Corrections

**Court Awards $28,000 to County Workers for Unpaid Wages** Two former Berkeley County convenience center operators won a settlement after claiming their employer failed to pay them proper wages. The workers sued Berkeley County, arguing they were owed money for work they had already performed at county waste facilities. The court approved a settlement agreement requiring Berkeley County to pay $28,000 in unpaid wages and additional penalties to the two former employees. The county also had to pay $17,500 to cover the workers' attorney fees and court costs. With the settlement approved, the case was officially closed. This case shows that workers have legal options when employers don't pay wages they've earned. Even government employers like counties must follow wage laws and can be held accountable in court when they fail to do so. The fact that the workers also recovered their attorney fees means they didn't have to pay out of pocket to fight for wages they were rightfully owed. Workers facing similar situations should know they may be entitled not just to their unpaid wages, but also to additional penalties and legal costs when employers violate wage laws.