Member leader wins pay equity case for himself and others at Dept. of Corrections

The third time is the charm for Case Manager Keith Halseth’s pay equity case at the Department of Corrections (DOC). Halseth returned to state service as a security case worker at Lino Lakes Correctional Facility a decade ago after serving as a Minneapolis police officer. Upon return, he had to repeat his previous DOC job as a Corrections Officer (CO)-1, despite submitting a reinstatement request and being inside the timeframe to be reinstated.   

It had been a lifelong dream of Halseth’s to be a police officer. When he left DOC in 2008, he was told by higher-ups “they would hire me back any day if it happened to not work out for some reason,” Halseth said.   

Halseth returned to DOC in 2010 and was made to start over as a Corrections Officer-1 instead of CO-2. “I had to do CO-1 time twice and start over even though I had many years of experience working at two closed custody facilities and was a police officer. I was almost topped out as a CO-2 when I left and I had put in for a reinstatement prior to my return and never heard anything,” Halseth said.     

Halseth had been rejected twice in his pay equity case. “One of the times I had given up and quit for a while – it was devastating to be turned down. It wasn’t exactly clear what criteria they were looking for in an equity request – I felt like I was throwing darts at nothing,” he said.    

A turning point came when MAPE successfully fought for pay equity in its 2023-2024 contract as a pilot. “Without MAPE, this equity request would not have even been a consideration for them,” Halseth added. “You needed three things for success: someone who cares, someone who will listen and someone willing to do some work.” 

Halseth said he received help and encouragement through MAPE, including his wife, Angela Halseth, MAPE Vice President, and President Megan Dayton, who edited his application and offered suggestions. Business Agents Pete Marincel and Adam Novotny told him they thought he had a good case and provided direction. “I knew, however, these equity requests can be denied without explanation. I felt like I had been demoted when I was at work because of this pay issue; it didn’t make sense that I went backward. How many people with 25 years of experience aren’t topped out in pay? This should not be how a pay scale works,” he added.  

Halseth hoped to retire in a few years and knew a raise would increase his monthly pension and “would help me and my family for the rest of my life.” 

Earlier this year, Halseth took a chance and wrote to DOC Commissioner Paul Schnell and asked him to look at his case. “We’re usually battling with administration, but I think the commissioner did ask Human Resources to look over what I wrote. I think that’s when they uncovered there were several of us. That really moved me to the point where I became overwhelmed – I wasn’t alone. I helped other people without knowing it,” Halseth said.  

Schnell who told him, “I know big institutions are bureaucratic and complicated. You stuck with it, made a case and it resulted in a just and proper outcome for you and some of your colleagues who had no idea that your pay equity review would bring about changes for them. I’m glad it all worked out, and I’m pleased for you.”    

Kristie Sperl, a case manager at Minnesota Correctional Facility – Lino Lakes, said she contacted Human Resources when she received her increased paycheck because she didn’t receive notice until after the fact. “Keith has never directly told me it was him. I don’t think he wanted the recognition for it or wanted people to know it was him. I’m thankful he was advocating for people who weren’t getting what they should have been paid,” Sperl said.  

Dori Maddox, a case manager at Minnesota Correctional Facility – Shakopee, said she also was surprised when she received a higher-than-expected paycheck, “I reached out to MAPE to see if this was legit – it was almost too good to be true. I found out how much hard work was involved in doing this. There is a difference between asking for something and fighting for it. Keith would not give up. He felt that it was right, and the issue was the right thing to fight for. He did that so I and some others received the benefit. I am very grateful. It made a huge difference in the bottom line and made a difference to my family. I can get a new front door this year!” 

When asked about advice he would give another member who is contemplating a pay equity case or has been denied, Halseth replied, “YOU are MAPE – you have to do this. I used MAPE as a support. I did the work and MAPE supported me. Who cares about your situation more than you? If you’re passionate about it, and you think you’re right, fight for it.  

“I have felt MAPE’s presence before, and it feels good when you have so many members supporting you when things are not going well, even if it is just that they simply show up for you. I want to take this opportunity to thank all MAPE members for that. If you get a chance to show up for someone else, show up and support them,” he added.     

Halseth is a member of MAPE Local 1303 where he also serves as Membership Secretary and a Local Steward.