Staffers' futures uncertain

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Jason and Tanya Hayes have interesting work and accommodating bosses, but not much job security. They and 53 other legislative staffers work for the 20 term-limited senators who will leave office in January.

BY NANCY HICKS | Lincoln Journal Star

 When the children are sick, Jason and Tanya Hayes play tag team. 

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Jason Hayes and his wife Tanya arrive home with Bevan, 4, and Kieran, 10 months, after picking them up from daycare. Jason and Tanya Hayes work for term-limited senators and will be out of jobs in January. (Robert Becker)

Jason Hayes and his wife Tanya arrive home with Bevan, 4, and Kieran, 10 months, after picking them up from daycare. Jason and Tanya Hayes work for term-limited senators and will be out of jobs in January. (Robert Becker)

“We check to see who has a bill up for debate on the (legislative) floor that day and the other person stays home with the sick child,” Jason said.

Both work for state senators, who depend on them and their in- depth research during bill debate.

One day, both had bills scheduled for debate, back-to-back. So the two passed each other in the doorway of their home: Tanya racing home to tend to the sick kid, Jason hurrying off to the Capitol.

Jason and Tanya know they’re lucky. They have interesting work. They have accommodating bosses.

But they don’t have much job security.

The Hayeses and 53 other legislative staffers work for the 20 senators who will leave office in January due to term limits.

Jason is legal counsel for the Legislature’s Retirement Committee and its chairwoman, Sen. Elaine Stuhr of Bradshaw. Tanya is legal aide for Sen. Pam Redfield of Omaha.

They’re the only husband and wife team who work for term-limited senators.

Some of their counterparts have already made decisions.

One has retired.

Another left for a job in different state, according to information from the legislative accounting office.

But many will hang around to see whether a new senator may want their experience.

Besides, they have obligations, the Hayeses said.

Jason, a 1998 University of Nebraska Law School graduate, has a summer full of unfinished business — research for nine retirement-related studies, meetings with people interested in retirement issues, public hearings to set up, bills for next year to write.

Tanya, who has a bachelor degree from Doane College, has constituent work.

Someone in Omaha’s District 12 may need help finding housing. They may have a question about Medicaid or immigration. They may be a victim of identity fraud (one of Redfield’s interest areas) and want to know what to do next.

And so legislative staffers will work this summer,  trying to ignore that annoying question in the back of their minds — What will happen in January?

“People are starting to get a little bit nervous, even though you know you have until the end of the year,” said Doug Koebernick, an aide to term-limited Sen. Nancy Thompson of Omaha.  

“They are wondering what they should do. Start looking for work right now or wait?”

Anything can happen when a group of 20 new senators are elected in November. Each senator can hire two staff members.  Committee chairs have at least two additional staff.

Some new senators hire from their campaign workers. Sen. Abbie Cornett of Bellevue picked two trusted friends, people who had worked on her campaign, when she took office two years ago.

“I wanted people who I knew were loyal to me.  They did not come in with preconceived notions about how the office should be run.

“I wanted a fresh perspective and people I could trust,” Cornett said.

Some new senators will hire from the current legislative staff.  

Sen. LaVon Heidemann of Elk Creek hired his predecessor’s aide because she knew the district and the legislative process.

With experienced staff, Heidemann said he felt he “had a little bit of a running head start.”

In past years, most staff who wanted to stay were able to get jobs   with senators, according to Pat O’Donnell, clerk of the Legislature.

The Hayeses knew they were putting all their eggs in one basket when they both took jobs with term-limited senators.

But it’s a great job, says Tanya, who timed her pregnancies to the rhythms of the Legislature. Bevan was born the day the Legislature adjourned in 2001.  Kieran was born in 2005, during the slower summer season.

And they know they’ve helped make history.

“It’s awesome,” Tanya says. “You see the news and think, I was part of that.”

Reach Nancy Hicks at 473-7250 or nhicks@journalstar.com.