Questions about state pay raised after $1.7M overpayments
(The Center Square) – An ethics investigation into Illinois’ Department of Child and Family Services recently revealed nearly six years of regular overpayments to some employees, totaling $1.4 million.
According to a recent report from the Office of the Executive Inspector General, the extra and overpayment to employees within DCFS occurred through the Office of Employee Services manager, with approval from the office’s director without additional oversight.
The investigation was sparked by an anonymous complaint alleging OES Manager Jerry Mathis conducted personal business on the taxpayer’s dime.
During the investigation, it was found that Deputy Director Kimberly Bates, hired in 2020, had approved extra-duty pay for both herself, Mathis, and other DCFS staff, without approval or knowledge of the Department of Central Management Services, between 2020 and the 2025 complaint.
State Rep. C.D. Davidsmeyer, R-Jacksonville, co-chair of the Committee on Government Forecasting and Accountability, criticized the payments despite his committee not having direct oversight of the agency.
“It’s people that are high up enough that they should know better. And then the people above them are all saying, ‘Well, I didn’t approve it.’ ‘Well, I didn’t approve it.’ Well, at the end of the day, somebody had to approve it,” Davidsmeyer said.
At least 30% of the $1.4 million went to employees within the OES.
Investigators found Bates received extra pay while on leave, even while she approved additional pay for the employee temporarily covering her role.
After the investigation was completed, Bates resigned, and Mathis was given a 15-day suspension.
“It’d be interesting to hear what the changes that they’re making are going to be,” Davidsmeyer said. “One person resigned, one person got 15 days off unpaid, which is less than the overtime and the extra days they used. I’m wondering who’s going to repay that back to the taxpayers at the end of the day and are there going to be any type of criminal charges?”
Davidsmeyer said he’d support stronger oversight of different state agencies to prevent further overpayments in the future.
“I like to think that the majority of our employees would not do something like that, but you know, it never hurts and if you’re not doing anything wrong, you shouldn’t be concerned about oversight,” Davidsmeyer said.
The report comes as the agency has faced scrutiny from lawmakers and media over its denial and ignoring of Freedom of Information Act records requests.The agency was successfully sued this year by nonprofit Capitol News Illinois for one 2024 request.
Another lawmaker, Jed Davis, R-Yorkville, recently told The Center Square he’s also considering legal action against the agency over its lack of answer to his own FOIA requests for data about who the agency is sending to conduct child abuse and neglect investigations.
Davis said he believes the numbers will show the agency is sending non-authorized investigators.
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