$550 Million for Public School Employees
Over six years ago, White Schneider initiated a lawsuit on behalf of public school employees challenging the imposition of a mandatory 3% deduction from their wages to fund the present costs of providing retiree healthcare. Today that fight still continues.
On July 7, 2016, the Michigan Court of Appeals has ruled a second time that the imposed deduction violated three separate provisions of the Michigan and United States Constitutions. Despite the Attorney General declaring that his office would no longer represent the State to continue any litigation, Governor Rick Snyder appointed special counsel to file an application for leave to appeal with the Michigan Supreme Court. Responses to this application have been filed by the plaintiffs of the three consolidated cases involving the 3% deduction taken from public school employees over the course of the 2010-2011 and 2011-2012 school years. The Michigan Supreme Court is not required to hear the case, and will have to first rule on whether to accept the State’s application for leave to appeal.
At stake is over $550 million taken from the earned compensation of public school employees across the State during that time period. White Schneider will continue to advocate for the rights of these public school employees to see that their earnings are not lost.