Dupage Policy Journal

Jeanne Ives, a former state legislator and founder of Breakthrough Ideas, said that Governor J.B. Pritzker is responsible for the Chicago Transit Authority's (CTA) expenditure of $1 million on teleworking since the onset of the pandemic.

"In Pritzker's Illinois, everything is a scam," said Jeanne M Ives.

According to the Chicago Tribune, findings from the Office of Executive Inspector General reveal that since 2020, the CTA has paid 10 Vault Operations employees nearly $1.13 million to remain at home without working. The report indicates that these employees' duties could not be performed remotely, yet they continued receiving pay even after the agency’s return-to-office date in May 2022. The investigation identified these employees as non-managerial staff within Vault Operations. The CTA has cautioned it may need to reduce transit services if state funding does not address an anticipated budget shortfall.

Screenshot of Jeanne Ives' May 28 post on X | X

The Office of Executive Inspector General's report states that the CTA’s Vault Operations unit is responsible for packaging, shipping, and processing bulk currency from fareboxes. As of December 2021, this unit employed 10 individuals; by June 2024, this number had decreased to two money handlers, a treasury equipment specialist, and one employee whose title was redacted. The report outlines employee duties, workspace arrangements, timekeeping procedures, and includes redacted work schedules and swipe records. It also features the CTA’s response, noting that managers mentioned in the report are no longer with the agency. Since March 2021, the CTA claims it has saved $2.1 million by not filling vacancies in Vault Operations and has implemented rules and procedures for telework applicable to a small percentage of eligible employees.

Kent Ray, general counsel for the CTA, said that according to the Chicago Tribune report, the Vault Operations Unit now consists of two bargaining-unit employees. He added that during the pandemic, the agency followed procedures similar to those adopted by other public and private employers nationwide and noted that most payments under scrutiny were made before employees were instructed to return to office work.

Ives is a former Illinois State Representative who served six years representing Illinois House District 42. She ran for governor in 2018 and sought election to represent Illinois’ 6th Congressional District in 2020.