LANSING, Mich — The Michigan House of Representatives has implemented a new policy on severances to extend the goal of transparency and trust at the state government level.
Speaker Jason Wentworth announced the change Thursday, saying, “If we expect the people of Michigan to trust their government, we have to be open, honest, and transparent with their money and how we operate. No government office should be able to rely on secret deals with employees using taxpayer dollars—it’s simply not right, and we’re going to make sure it never happens in the House.
“This Legislature is determined to gain the trust of the people we represent by bringing in a strong new era of openness and accountability to state government.”
Under the new House policy on severances:
- Severance pay cannot exceed six weeks of compensation unless it’s part of a legal settlement that would save taxpayers money in the long run.
- The House must publish an annual summary of severance agreements greater than six weeks, including dates and amounts.
- The House cannot prevent employees from talking about their agreements or acknowledging the existence of the agreements.
The “secret deals” mentioned by Wentworth refer to recent severance deals that were brought to light in connection to Gov. Gretchen Whitmer. The governor faced criticism earlier this month after a $155,000 payout to Robert Gordon, who previously served as the director of the state health department, was revealed.
Gordon abruptly resigned Jan. 22, and at the time Whitmer wouldn't say if she'd sought his exit.
The state Department of Health and Human Services said that deputy director Sarah Esty also reached a separation agreement, which are highly unusual in state government.
On March 9, the Michigan Legislature disclosed more than $600,000 in separation agreements or legal settlement over the last decade.
The bulk of the payouts, $632,000, involved 30 separation deals in the Senate since 2010.
Three House agreements, totaling nearly $60,000, settled legal disputes with terminated employees since 2013. Neither chamber disclosed details of the deals, citing their confidential nature.
*The AP contributed to this story.
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