Zane Seipler’s Back Pay, etc.

Zane Seipler

Dated August 11th, with a stamped July 31st signature from Sheriff Keith Nygren, the man who fired him, a settlement agreement has authorized the payment for the time Zane Seipler was off work, plus medical expenses that would have been otherwise covered by McHenry County health benefits.

Seipler was out of work for three years and four months–from November 17, 2008, to March 19, 2012–as Sheriff Nygren ignored decisions that he should be reinstated by

  • an outside arbitrator authorized by the union contract he signed,
  • an administrative review decision by Associate Judge Thomas Meyer and
  • a decision by the 2nd Appellate Court sitting in Elgin

and even took more time to punish Seipler by unsuccessfully appealing to the Illinois Supreme Court to review the arbitrator’s decision still again.

That appeal was shot down, just as the earlier efforts did.

Seipler got two checks:

  • $88,360.90
  • $5,441.63

“The smaller amount was a refund for the difference in medical insurance premiums paid by Officer Seipler during his suspension,” the McHenry County Freedom of Information Officer explained.

$62,430 was deducted from the total amount of past due salary to repay the Unemployment Compensation benefits Seipler received while off work.

While not working, Seipler ran unsuccessfully against Nygren in the 2010 Republican Primary Election and sued seeking a Special Prosecutor be appointed to investigate whether Nygren had used taxpayer resources to advance his political campaign.

Judge Meyer, also adjudicating this case, ruled that McHenry County State’s Attorney could perform such a probe, if he wished.


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