BLOOMINGTON - A former employee who alleged in a court case last year that McLean County Clerk Peggy Ann Milton asked her to do personal favors on county time has filed a complaint with the Illinois Department of Labor. | Archived Video: Peggy Ann Milton interview

Betzy Cowan, who now works in the McLean County Circuit Clerk's office, is seeking $3,000 is overtime pay she maintains she did not receive for "scheduled staff meetings and over-time worked."

Cowan, who declined to comment further on the claim, worked 37.5-hour work weeks in Milton's office between June 4, 2001, and March 18, 2007.

She was one of Milton's former employees who testified during a hearing last August into allegations of theft and official misconduct against Milton. The jury acquitted Milton after deliberating three hours.

The felony charges alleged Milton misused postage paid for by the county and had Cowan take her children home on county time.

Cowan testified Milton asked her six to 12 times to transport her children home. Both Milton and Cowan live in Heyworth.

Milton maintained she paid for the more than 1,000 stamps used for fundraising activities for the American Diabetes Association and that Cowan often worked late and took Milton's children home but denied she told Cowan to leave work early.

Cowan filed her complaint with the Department of Labor on Aug. 6.

Milton said she is "unaware of any past due overtime."

Anjali Julka, spokeswoman for the Illinois Department of Labor, said the complaint will be investigated to determine if there has been a violation of the labor law but she could not say how long the process might take.

According to the Department of Labor's Web site, law requires overtime be paid after 40 hours in a workweek. Eric Ruud, an assistant state's attorney assigned to handle McLean County Board matters, said many county employees only work a 37.5-hour work week but overtime doesn't kick in until the employee has worked more than 40 hours in a work week.

Julka said if a claim is found to be in violation of the labor laws, the department would require the employer to pay back wages. In this case, the employer would be McLean County.