Buskirk v. State

Thompson, Justice.

For nearly 25 years, the state gave within-grade pay increases to employees in the classified service of the State Merit System who rated “satisfactory” or better in their job performance appraisal. Then, on April 25, 1991, responding to a budget crisis in fiscal year 1991, the governor called for an immediate freeze on such pay hikes. The General Assembly appropriated money for within-grade wage increases in fiscal year 1992. However, it met in August 1991 and removed that money from the budget. Thereafter, the legislature refused to fund, within-grade pay increases in…