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In April, her boss at the Missouri State Emergency Management Agency asked her to help some employees at the Department of Natural Resources with a project. They were planning to compete in the twice-annual , a contest for state employees to promote good ideas 鈥� and maybe win a little cash.

Mottaz agreed to help the team. They named themselves the Show Me MO Sirens. Their idea was to add more early warning sirens at state parks, particularly in areas with poor Internet access.

鈥淢ost people think they all have sirens already, and that鈥檚 not the case,鈥� says Mottaz, who grew up in Arnold. 鈥淭he goal was to figure out those state parks that had no access to sirens.鈥�

In July, after working for the state for five years, Mottaz had a new opportunity. University of Missouri Health Care was hiring for an emergency management coordinator. It was a step up and more pay, so she applied. As the process advanced, she told her current and possible future employers about her concerns with the Show Me Challenge.

Judging for the contest was scheduled for Sept. 29, and Mottaz wanted to know if she鈥檇 still be eligible for the prize. First-place winners receive $1,000; second place is worth $750; third place pays $500.

Mottaz landed the new job before the contest was over. She offered to find a replacement for her team but was told that wasn鈥檛 necessary. Her new employer offered to delay her start date so she could complete the project. She sought answers from both the Department of Public Safety and the Office of Administration as to whether she could win her earnings, should the team place. She never got a clear answer, but she believes she was given a verbal indication from human resources that it would all work out.

Mottaz and her team won second place. Her name is listed along her teammates鈥� on the Show Me Challenge website. But she didn鈥檛 get her $750. The state is telling her she no longer qualifies for the payment.

鈥淚f you have written documentation reflecting that the State affirmatively told you that you would be able to receive prize money from an award that was done after you left your employment with the State of Missouri, please provide it to my office (by) close of business, Friday, December 1,鈥� wrote Caroline Coulter, deputy commissioner of the Office of Administration, in an email to Mottaz. 鈥淥therwise, the Office of Administration considers this matter to be resolved and will not be responding further.鈥�

A spokesman for the Office of Administration told me that if a 鈥渢eam member leaves state employment before the final competition and winners are announced, the individual is not eligible to receive the awarded amount.鈥�

Mottaz doesn鈥檛 have any written documentation. That鈥檚 because the human resources department told her to wait and see if her team placed in the contest. By then, Mottaz was already on her way out the door. But it鈥檚 not like the state didn鈥檛 still have an opportunity to pay her. Her last paycheck from the state was dated Oct. 31, and it included payouts for annual leave.

After she was told she wouldn鈥檛 receive the $750 from the contest, Mottaz filed a complaint with Attorney General Andrew Bailey. She wrote the state Department of Labor. She hasn鈥檛 gotten any help from the agencies that she thought might stand up for her.

It鈥檚 a completely different attitude than the one taken by her new employer, which, of course, is also funded by taxpayers. The University of Missouri let her push back her start date and, later, participate in the final judging of the Show Me Challenge even though she had started her new job.

鈥淭hey gave me permission to go to Jefferson City to do this,鈥� Mottaz says. 鈥淭hey knew it was important to me and wanted to see me succeed.鈥�

That鈥檚 the whole point of the Show Me Challenge. Started in 2019, it is touted by state officials as part of 鈥淭he Missouri Way鈥� of encouraging innovation among employees. But apparently, using one鈥檚 time as a state employee to get better at their job, so they can advance their career with another state employer, is frowned upon 鈥� or at least not to be rewarded.

What most frustrates Mottaz is she could have dropped out of the project. But she thought it was important. She hopes the state follows through with the idea and adds emergency sirens so folks enjoying Missouri鈥檚 parks know they are safe when severe weather is on the way.

Meanwhile, she鈥檚 issuing her own early warning to state employees who are asked to participate in the Show Me Challenge. They might want to get their promise of a cash prize in writing.

鈥淚 feel betrayed by my employer,鈥� Mottaz says. 鈥淭here鈥檚 so many ways they could have handled it. The state of Missouri needs to do the right thing.鈥�