Judge Orders Shiawassee Co. Employees to Return Misappropriated Hazard Pay [VIDEO]

It was nice while it lasted, but employees in Shiawassee County who pocketed hazard pay have been ordered to give it back.

Money from the American Rescue Plan that was intended for low-income and frontline workers who faced a greater risk of exposure to COVID-19 during the pandemic was misappropriated by Shiawassee County employees who essentially paid themselves and other county employees. In some cases, those bonuses were for several thousand dollars.

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Attorney Philip Ellison is suing the Shiawassee Board of Commissioners and tells WILX it could wind up costing the county.

“These guys who are on the front line deserve our thanks and our appreciation. It’s those who essentially took more out of the pie than they were really entitled to, at least morally.”

A judge has ordered that the money paid to county employees who received it erroneously. There is now concern that the money may have to be returned to Washington DC.

Finger Pointing Has Begun

County board member Greg Brodeur is distancing himself from decisions made by the county board on July 15.

“While I was not present at the July 15th Shiawassee Board of Commissioners meeting due to attending my brother’s funeral, facts which have come to light since are deeply disturbing,” Brodeur wrote. “Board Chair Jeremy Root’s decision to withhold information regarding his own egregious $25,000 bonus and the outsized amounts he awarded others is inexcusable and has destroyed his ability to effectively lead our county board.”

Board member Marlene Webster says in the video below that she too didn't know bonuses would be distributed to board members rather than frontline workers.