NORTHAMPTON, Mass. (WWLP) – You do your job, but then don’t get paid. That’s what happening to some public defenders who work as independent contractors for the state.

One attorney told 22News this has happen the past five years. She usually gets paid monthly.

But since June is the end of the fiscal year, she says sometimes those checks don’t come till the end of July. That leaves her without a paycheck for close to two months.

“The legislature hasn’t passed a supplemental budget in order to pay us as of today, so I have no idea when we’re going to be paid,” Kari Nykorchuk of Nykorchuk Law Office said.

We contacted the Governor’s office, but have yet to hear back.

This is a story we’ll continue to follow. There is a domino effect that is creating a back-load of cases in some of our local courts.