By: Diane Benjamin

After yesterday’s story, Dale Nelson spent from 12:59 to 3:33 on Facebook Messenger trying to convince me it was perfectly legal to give a $1000 bonus to an employee: https://blnnews.com/2026/06/18/do-laws-matter-in-logan-county/

He wanted to talk by phone. Many years ago I learned that is how public officials make sure there is no trace of what they say. I refused so our conversation is in writing.

He even resorted to accusing me of:

.

Dale tried to justify the $1000 by twisting County Board code. He obviously doesn’t understand the difference between County expenses and additional compensation to employees. If bonuses were legal why wouldn’t every employee be bought off?

What Dale ignored was STATE law. The employee didn’t have an employee contract that spelled out requirements for earning a bonus. Therefore the payment was illegal.

The Edgar County Watchdogs have written about this issue:

As we have previously noted, Christmas Bonuses for public employees, or bonuses of any kind, violate state law (Article VIII, Section 1 of the Constitution and the Wage Payment and Collection Act) when there are no written employment agreements spelling out such bonuses, along with measurable results required to obtain said bonuses.

According to the Illinois Administrative Code for the Wage Payment and Collection Act, “An employee has a right to an earned bonus when there is an unequivocal promise by the employer and the employee has performed the requirements set forth in the bonus agreement between the parties and for all of the required conditions for receiving the bonus set forth in the bonus agreement have been met.”

Basically, without a right to public funds, they don’t get those public funds.

Make sure Dale Nelson and the County Board see this story: https://edgarcountywatchdogs.com/2024/05/village-gives-away-cash-for-christmas-gifts/?highlight=bonus

Every level of government should read that story, this law is frequently violated.