Human Resources

On October 28, 1969, a lawsuit entitled Michael Shakman, et al., v. Democratic Organization of Cook County, et al., No. 69 C 2145 (N.D. Ill.) was filed seeking the court to prohibit Cook County and the Board of Commissioners of Cook County (“County Board”), among other defendants, from conditioning, basing or affecting any term or aspect of governmental employment upon or because of any political reason or factor.

On May 5, 1972 and January 7, 1994, the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Illinois entered Consent Judgments with respect to, among others, the County and County Board, prohibiting the conditioning, basing or affecting any term or aspect of governmental employment upon or because of any political reason or factor. Those Judgments provided that the Court retained jurisdiction with respect to, among other matters, issues of political hiring and the designation of a number of positions which should be exempt from the prohibitions established under the Consent Judgments.

On November 29, 2006, the Board of Commissioners of Cook County agreed to the entry of a Supplemental Relief Order (SRO) by the District Court. On December 7, 2006, the court entered an order (Preliminary Approval Order) preliminarily approving the Supplemental Relief Order agreed to by the plaintiffs and Cook County. The District Court approved the SRO at the hearing held on February 2, 2007.

Employment Plan

In order to advance the goal of bringing the County into substantial compliance, the County must, among other things, implement the Employment Plan (and Addendum). The Employment Plan was filed on October 23, 2014 bringing Cook County Health closer to achieving substantial compliance. The Plan sets forth the general principles that will govern Cook County Health’s hiring and employment policies under the jurisdiction of the CEO and it applies to current employees of Cook County Health as well as all applicants and candidates. The Plan calls for the implementation of pro-active and transparent policies, practices and procedures and includes elements that address the prohibition and influence of political reasons and factors in the employment process. In addition, the Plan addresses an employee’s duty to report unlawful political discrimination as well as the reporting of political contacts from politically-related persons or organizations to the Office of the Independent Inspector General (OIIG).

Employment Plan Complaint Form

Introduction

This Cook County Health Employment Plan (the “Employment Plan”) was prepared as required by the Supplemental Relief Order that was agreed to by the Board on November 29, 2006, and approved on February 2, 2007, in Shakman et al. v. County of Cook, et al. (the “SRO”). This Employment Plan sets forth the principles, procedures and policies governing hiring and employment by Cook County Health. This Employment Plan applies to all current Employees of the County who are assigned to Cook County Health (“Employees”), as well as to all Applicants and Candidates for Positions with Cook County Health. The Compliance Administrator (“CA”), while acting, has the right to monitor any and all aspects of this Employment Plan in order to assess CCH’s progress toward substantial compliance with the SRO. This will include, but not be limited to, the right to monitor any and all Employment Actions involving both union and non-union Employees. All undefined terms in this Section I will have the meanings given them in Section II below.

The mission of Cook County Health is to provide quality health care to the residents of Cook County with dignity and respect regardless of their ability to pay. No Employment Action covering any Position in CCH may be based on any Political Reasons or Factors.

Amendments

The CEO may from time to time amend this Employment Plan following written notice of any proposed changes to this Employment Plan to the Employment Plan Officer (EPO) and Office of the Independent Inspector General (OIIG). The OIIG and the EPO will be given an opportunity to review and comment on the proposed amendment prior to implementation. If the EPO or the OIIG objects to the change, they must do so in writing within 10 business days and submit the same to the Chief of DHR. The CEO, the Chief of DHR, the EPO and the OIIG will then meet to discuss the matter. The decision of the CEO on any proposed change to this Employment Plan will be final.

Proposed changes to this Employment Plan will not be implemented until 10 business days after either the date the EPO and the OIIG were provided notice of the proposed changes or the date the CEO makes his or her decision resolving any objections to the proposed change, whichever is later.

Conclusion

Cook County Health is committed to continuing its practices of being an equal opportunity employer, hiring qualified candidates and the prohibition of Unlawful Political Discrimination with respect to all Employment Actions. This Employment Plan is intended to create transparent and workable new processes and procedures that meet the business needs of the Cook County Health and comply with legal requirements. It is not possible to anticipate and address every situation that may give rise to Unlawful Political Contacts or Unlawful Political Discrimination, and the Cook County Health is prepared to comply with the spirit of the law to meet those situations in the future.

Other Exhibits

• Exhibit 12 – Dept Div & Section Chairs of Medical Dept of Medical Staff List

• Exhibit A – Cook County Health Department List
  

Uniform Political Contact Log

In order to further the goal of eliminating unlawful political discrimination in government and to foster a transparent, honest and fair employment process, Cook County Health wishes to reaffirm its goal of eliminating unlawful political discrimination and to remind County employees and officials of their obligations to log certain political contacts and to use the Political Log when documenting certain political contacts.

The Cook County Health CEO is committed to upholding the prohibition against politically-related persons and organizations influencing or attempting to influence employment actions involving employees deemed “non-exempt” for purposes of this prohibition. See the link below to download a copy of the Political Contact Log.

• Political Contact Log

Please send a copy of the Political Contact Log to one of the Office of the Independent Inspector General locations listed below: 

Main Office
69 W. Washington 
Suite 1160
Chicago, IL 60602 
Phone: (312) 603-0350 

Cook County Health Satellite Office
1950 W. Polk St. 
Room 8105
Chicago, IL 60612

NOTICE OF HEARING ON SUBSTANTIAL COMPLIANCE.

On August 31, 2018, Cook County and the Shakman Plaintiffs filed a joint motion in the U.S. District Court in the Northern District of Illinois seeking a hearing for substantial compliance and dismissal of the County of Cook in Shakman v. Democratic Organization of Cook County, No. 69 C 2145.  On September 4, 2018, the U.S. District Court has ordered a hearing (the “Hearing”) to be held at 10:00 a.m. on October 31, 2018 for the purpose of determining whether the Court should enter an order (i) finding the County of Cook (“Cook”) to be in Substantial Compliance with the Supplemental Relief Order and the 1994 Consent Decree and (ii) dismissing the County from this case.  The formal notice of the Hearing may be found on the attached link labeled “Notice of Substantial Compliance Hearing.pdf.” The accompanying documents associated with the joint motion may be accessed below through the attached link labeled “Joint Motion for Substantial Compliance Hearing.pdf.”

• Notice of Substantial Compliance Hearing.pdf

• Joint Motion for Substantial Compliance Hearing.pdf

Executive Order

Click here for a full copy of Executive Order 2008-1

Additional Orders

On October 31, 2018, Cook County (including Cook County Health) was found to be in compliance with the Shakman Consent Decree and was released from federal oversight.  In the attached Court Order, the Cook County Health Employment Plan is Exhibit 3. Oversight of the Employment Plan and related policies is the responsibility of the Cook County Health HR team, EPO, and Office of the Independent Inspector General.

Agreed Order Finding Substantial Compliance

For More Information

You can also obtain copies from the Cook County State’s Attorney Office, or

Roger Fross, Counsel for the Plaintiff Classes
Lord, Bissell & Brook LLP
111 South Wacker Drive, Suite 4100
Chicago, Illinois 60606

Actively Recruited Positions 

An actively recruited position is a high ranking or technical/professional position for which the applicant’s academic credentials, licensure, certification or experience are important determinants for differentiation among applicants. Actively recruited positions must meet specified minimum qualifications, including a bachelor’s degree or higher except in the case of certified/licensed health care professional positions and medical assistants. Actively recruited positions are not direct appointment positions. Actively recruited positions fall into one of four categories:

1. Positions for which a minimum qualification is a M.D., D.O., D.D.S., Ph.D., D.Sc., Dr. PH., J.D.or a doctorate or master’s degree

2. Positions that are certified/licensed health care professional positions working within Cook County Health

3. Medical assistants working within Cook County Health

4. Positions that are:

   1. Not covered by any CBA

   2. Exempt from career service as defined in the Cook County Health Personnel Rules and are at-will (unless the employee in the Position was hired into that Position prior to July 1, 2010)

   3. Either (a) responsible for the day-to-day performance of a high-level technical or professional function, or (b) responsible for the day-to-day supervision of at least three employees

Actively Recruited Position List

The list of all Actively Recruited Positions kept and maintained by the Employment Plan Officer pursuant to Section IX.T. A copy of the current Actively Recruited Positions List, which may be amended from time to time, is attached as Exhibit 1.

Advanced Clinical Position

A copy of the current Advanced Clinical Positions List, which may be amended from time to time, is attached as: Advanced Clinical Positions Hiring Process Positions List (Exhibit 13).

Certified/Licensed Health Care Professional Position List

A certified/licensed health care professional position is one that involved the day-to-day performance of a high level technical health care-related function and required post-high school education and a state-issued or other accredited organization’s license or certification in a health care-related field.

The list of all Certified/Licensed Healthcare Professional Positions, which may be amended from time to time, a current copy of which is attached as Exhibit 2. 

Direct Appointment Positions

A direct appointment position is a high level, specialized professional position for which academic credentials and total accumulated experience (or specialized experience) are import determinants for differentiating among applicants, and:

1. Has minimum qualifications requiring a bachelor’s degree or higher and a minimum of three years of work experience related to the position

2. Is appointed by the CEO

3. Reports directly to the CEO or a Deputy CEO or reports to someone who is within two reporting levels of the CEO or a Deputy CEO as reflected on the Cook County Health organizational charts

4. Is not covered by any CBA

5. Is exempt from career service under the Cook County Health Personnel Rules and are at-will (unless the Employee in the Direct Appointment Position was hired prior to July 1, 2010 and was appointed to the Direct Appointment Position prior to March 12, 2013)

6. Is responsible for the day-to-day performance of a high-level and specialized professional function

7. Is not an actively recruited position

The list of all Direct Appointment Positions, which may be amended from time to time pursuant to Section VIII.J., a current copy of which is attached as  Exhibit 5. 

To see a list of Direct Appointment Job Descriptions click on the following links:
List 1
List 2

Job Descriptions