Indiana State Prison & State Employees Appeals Commission v. Van Ulzen

ON PETITION TO TRANSFER

SHEPARD, Chief Justice.

When the Indiana State Prison cancels instructional classes for inmates during an emergency lockdown, does the warden violate state law by temporarily assigning a teacher to non-educational duties such as answering the telephone, taking messages, and other tasks commonly performed by employees in lower job classifications? We conclude that the law permits such temporary assignments to different work at the same rate of pay. It is a decent alternative to laying off an employee without pay for the duration of the lockdown.

Facts

William Van Ulzen is…