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 .
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However worse than the criminal actions of these greedy State workers who committed a knowing crime, Governor Molloy is more culpable as he is gave many of these people who committed criminal acts their jobs back with full back pay and all benefits. I hope a federal investigation is performed to account for the fraud and criminality of CT, including an intense investigation of the Governor who allowed Federal funds go to these Strate workers wihtout penalty. What right does Molloy have to condone the theft of Federal money? This was not Molloy's money but the money of all American tax payers. Hopefully a serious investigation can be performed on what legal rights Molloy has to allow the misuse of Federal money. This is more contemptable and real theft than Blago did in Chicago and he got serious jail time Again I ask, what if a poor uneducated minority youth stole $ 1,000 ? Would Molloy say the kid should be released from jail and given a job for $ 100,000 with a no lay off policy for 4 more years and medical and pension benfits greater than any person in America
Was the "arbitrator" a Federal criminal law offical rather than CT stand bearer so that the American taxpayers were protected,and the criminal justice system exercised to protect US taxpayers who supplied CT with this money which was fraudulently misapplied and then "accepted as business as usual" ?. I hope minority kids who get caught stealing $ 1,000 like the State workers get the same arbitrator to represent them in the criminal justice system.
Both Greece and CT promised their State workers huge salaries and guaranteed enormous pensions, annual cost of living increases, and free medical care for life. Greece however has laws against embellzement and fraud, whereas CT condones these crimes for their employees. Can you imagine Electric Boat, Pratt and Whitney, or any private company allowing employees who embellzed over $ 1,000 and misrepresented facts (criminal fraud)... and allowing them to be rehired. It would not happen in a million ywears in private industry. Most companies have ethics clauses employees sign each year to preclude the rampart disregard of the law CT employees performed to. Obviously the State of CT does not have these standard ethic statements or policies. For the person who said they paid back every penny plus interest thinking that this justified the act, shows the depths of incompetance the State of CT as the largest employer in the state has performed to. I hope the State has serial numbers documented for their computers, desks, and equipment as I am sure these are fair game (and a accepted perk) to take home.