The Illinois Department of Children and Family Services (DCFS) improperly authorized $1.4 million in extra pay to employees in violation of state rules, an investigation by the Office of the Executive Inspector General has found. Kimberly Bates, the department’s top human resources official at the time, approved the payments, including nearly $52,000 for herself, before resigning following the inquiry.
The investigation, which reviewed payroll records from fiscal years 2020 through 2026, revealed that roughly 30% of the additional pay went to employees within Bates’ own division, the Office of Employee Services. Under a system informally referred to as “Extra Duty Pay,” employees received supplements amounting to up to 25% of their salaries for work on specific projects. However, the report noted that this additional compensation was granted for duties not beyond the employees’ regular responsibilities and, in some cases, extended for months or years without adequate documentation.
State regulations permit pay adjustments of up to 5% only in limited circumstances and require approval from the Department of Central Management Services, approvals that were not sought or obtained under this arrangement. The report described the practice as obsolete, referencing that the “Extra Duty Pay” system had been removed from the state’s official pay plan decades earlier. It also criticized the lack of oversight, documenting, and the potential for inequity and abuse inherent in the system.
Bates, who held the department’s highest human resources post while serving as deputy director of the Office of Employee Services, defended her actions in a phone interview. She said the practice predated her tenure and was transparent within the department. Bates also noted that some extra pay was awarded to her while she was on leave recovering from brain surgery. She has filed a complaint with the federal Equal Employment Opportunity Commission against DCFS and expressed feeling unfairly targeted by the investigation, disputing both the report’s findings and the department’s public response.
In addition to the improper extra pay, the report highlighted poor oversight that allowed an employee to regularly take Fridays off for extended periods without proper documentation while apparently attending to personal matters during work hours. That employee was subsequently suspended for 15 days.
Following the report, DCFS Director Heidi Mueller sent a letter, attached to the investigation, stating the department took prompt corrective measures upon learning of the unauthorized payments. The letter said the department’s chief operating officer now reviews all extra duty pay requests. Neither DCFS nor the inspector general’s office confirmed whether the findings led to any criminal referrals.
The investigation adds to longstanding concerns about DCFS, which has faced scrutiny over leadership instability, child placement practices, and compliance with reforms prompted by previous fatality cases. Bates resigned after the inspector general’s office recommended disciplinary action, with the department emphasizing efforts to strengthen pay oversight going forward.