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The Menard Correctional Facility in Illinois is a maximum security prison dating back to 1878. It does not have electric locks so prison guards need to use keys and cranks to open and close rows of cells. As a result of repetitive actions, workers have received combined compensation to the tune of $1.5 million for injuries to their hands, wrists and elbows. Guards at the facility say they suffer from numb hands and arms.
A Pantagraph.com article cites the The Belleville News-Democrat which reviewed public records from the Illinois Workers' Compensation Commission that show the taxpayer-funded settlements are between nearly $22,000 and $120,000.[1] In addition, 27 other Menard prison guards have filed compensation claims for non-repetitive injuries including slipping and heavy lifting. Of those, 12 have been paid out totaling more than $282,000.
Some lawmakers, including Republican state Sen. Kyle McCarter, are concerned about the claims. He believes the abuses and fraud in the compensation system are adding huge unknown costs to Illinois taxpayers. Any waste or fraud in the system should be taken seriously, considering Illinois currently faces one of the nation’s largest pension shortfalls and a looming budget deficit.
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Illinois on Sunshine Review
