Should Owed Wages Be Part of Fights Over Budget Cuts?

According to the Associated Press, a company called Inclusion Inc. is suing the Idaho state government for underpayment for services given to the developmentally disabled. For those of you not following this story, the state of Idaho is trying to balance its budget and some Republicans have rejected a budget that pays for these services. That means the company can't be paid for services already rendered.

This story is personal for me because my father-in-law is involved. He is a case worker for a company (not Inclusion Inc.) that provides services for the developmentally disabled. Because of political budget fights, he's often told he won't be receiving his pay check that month.

I believe Republicans should pull out all the stops when demanding a balanced budget. They should fight the good fight and never give up. But I can't see how owed wages enter this discussion. When people like my father-in-law perform a service that he is scheduled to perform, and the service is needed, once the service is complete, he should be paid his wage regardless of where the state budget stands.

What do YOU think?