CHICAGO – A labor union representing Illinois child care providers have filed suit to force Illinois to implement a rate increase they assert is mandated by the Illinois Public Act.
Service Employees International Union Healthcare Illinois & Indiana, along with plaintiffs Lolease Brock, Maria Del Carmen Macias, Annie Wilder and Maria Rosalba Zermeno, filed a complaint on Sept. 20 in Cook County Circuit Court against various state agencies, seeking a writ of mandamus from the court on the question.
According to the complaint, the plaintiffs are child and day care home providers, providing care through the Department of Human Services Child Care Assistance Program.
The plaintiffs allege the state failed to provide plaintiffs a 4.26 percent rate increase they assert they are entitled to under a state law.
The plaintiffs seek judgment against defendants; have asked the court to certify their lawsuit as a class action; to issue a writ of mandamus ordering the implementation of the 4.26 percent rate increase; and order other relief. They are represented by Robert E. Bloch and George A. Luscombe III of Dowd, Bloch, Bennett, Cervone, Auerbach & Yokich in Chicago.
Cook County Circuit Court case number 18-CH-11835