Worthen v. Secretary of State

The plaintiffs in this appeal are 16 former employees of the Illinois Secretary of State’s office (Secretary). They were laid off in 1984 when an entire division within the Secretary’s office was eliminated. Plaintiffs attack this layoff as a “subterfuge” by which their employment was terminated outright based upon political affiliation. Plaintiffs also assert a failure to comply with the statutory prerequisites to a proper layoff plan as well as a violation of due process in not being afforded a full and fair hearing before the State of Illinois Merit Commission (Commission).

Plaintiffs…