(WBBM NEWSRADIO) -- The state of Illinois says it’s responding as quickly as it can to an issue that has kept much-needed payments from getting to thousands of home childcare workers in the state.
The Services Employees International Union represents about 13,000 home childcare workers in the state of Illinois. Union officials say a state backlog has kept them from being paid for a few weeks.
The SEIU’s Brynn Seibert says home childcare providers are some of the lowest paid workers in the state. She says that, on average, they report making about $4.59 an hour, which is well below the minimum wage.
“For childcare providers who are already earning such low wages, any delays or interruptions in their payments are really devastating.”
Department of Human Services spokeswoman Marisa Kollias says the state has just corrected the technical issue that kept money from being sent to the childcare providers.
“The Office of the Illinois Comptroller has prioritized payments to childcare providers, and payments will be processed immediately upon receipt by that office,” she said.
Kollias says the state apologizes to the workers for the hardship the backlog has caused.
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