LANSING, MI -- The state of Michigan has restored the pay of six suspended employees who face charges of criminal wrongdoing in the Flint water crisis.

The pay of those workers totals about $500,000 a year.

Department of Environmental Quality employees Stephen Busch, Michael Prysby, Adam Rosenthal and Patrick Cook as well as Department of Health and Human Services employees Nancy Peeler and Robert Scott have had their pay restored, said Jennifer Eisner, a spokeswoman for DHHS.

Those same employees, who together face 18 felony charges related to failed oversight of the Flint water system, were initially suspended without pay -- a decision that was reversed Monday, Aug. 15, according to DEQ spokesman Michael Shore.

In addition the drawing their salaries, the employees are also being provided with attorneys to represent them against criminal charges brought by Attorney General Bill Schuette -- something that's not required by civil service rules.

"Given the uncertainty and the timeliness of the resolution of these cases, combined with the unique nature of this situation, the directors of the departments as the appointing authorities have chose to continue the suspension of the employees ... with pay," Eisner said in an email to MLive-The Flint Journal.

Gov. Rick Snyder was told of the decision by the directors DEQ and DHHS recently, Anna Heaton, the governor's press secretary, said in an email to MLive.

"(Snyder) had no role in the process," Heaton's statement says.

She declined to comment further on the decision.

The confirmation of a change in policy comes just days after new DEQ Director Heidi Grether told reporters last week that suspended employees were not being paid "because that has been traditionally (been done that way) as I understand it."

But Grether suggested discussions were evolving.

"Right now we're exploring, trying to figure out -- what does that mean? Does that mean for a certain period or time? One thing that's important to remember is all these people under the Constitution are innocent until proven guilty and that has not happened yet," Grether said.

In addition to the suspended employees, two former state workers have also been charged in the Flint water investigation by Attorney General Bill Schuette.

Liane Shekter-Smith, former chief of the DEQ's Office of Drinking Water and Municipal Assistance, and Corinne Miller, former director of DHHS' Bureau of Epidemiology, are also facing criminal charges for their role in allowing lead levels in Flint water to spike.

Shekter-Smith was fired from her position, while Miller retired from her job, state officials have said.

The remaining suspended employees will collect their salaries but be off the job for the time being.

Here is more information about each of the suspended state employees, including salary information from the state Civil Service Commission. MLive requested the salary information through the Freedom of Information Act.

Peeler, director of DHHS' Program for Maternal, Infant, and Early Childhood Home Visiting, is charged with misconduct in office, conspiracy and willful neglect of duty. She is in line to collect an annual salary of $101,891.

Busch, district supervisor for DEQ, is charged with two counts of misconduct in office, two counts or tampering with evidence and two violations of Safe Drinking Water Act. His hourly rate of pay is $44.96, translating into an annual salary is more than $93,000.

Cook, the DEQ official responsible for compliance with lead and copper monitoring, is charged with willful neglect of duty, misconduct in office and conspiracy. He is paid $39.51 an hour for an annual salary for $82,180.

Prysby, a district engineer at DEQ, is charged with two counts of misconduct in office, two counts or tampering with evidence and two violations of Safe Drinking Water Act. His hourly rate of pay is $36.57, giving him an annual salary of $74,880.

Scott, data manager for the Healthy Homes Lean Prevention Program at DHHS, is charged with misconduct, conspiracy, and willful neglect of duty. His hourly pay rate is $35.87, making his annual salary $74,609.

Rosenthal, a water quality analyst, is charged with misconduct in office, willful neglect of duty, tampering with evidence and conspiracy to tamper with evidence. He is paid $34.47 an hour -- $71,697.

Ron Fonger is a reporter for MLive. He can be reached at 810-347-9963 or rfonger1@mlive.com.