Mar 12 2008
Cook County Corruption Chronicles:Part 3
Excerpts from the second semi-annual report by Shakman Compliance Administrator (CA) Julia M. Nowicki:
II. CA RECOMMENDATIONS
1. The CA recommends that the County utilize its own resources to determine the nature and extent of current unlawful patronage practices occurring in the County at this time.
2. The CA recommends that the County designate one employee to be its liaison to the Office of the CA. This person should be dedicated solely to the work required:under the SRO. This individual should have access to the President and his staff.
3.The CA recommends that the County select a new I-human Resources Bureau Chief (”HR Bureau Chief’) who has the experience, education and political autonomy to professionalize the Bureau of Human Resources (”Bureau of HR”) and ensure the County’s compliance with all laws including those prohibiting political discrimination.
4. The CA recommends that she be allowed to monitor the selection process of the HR Bureau Chief.
5. The CA recommends that the County cooperate with the joint search committee pursuant to ordinance formed by the Chicago Bar Association and the Cook County Bar Association to select the Independent Inspector General. The CA also recommends that the County commit to fund fully the Office of the Independent Inspector General on an annual basis.
6. The CA recommends that the County cooperate with the CA to create and implement a new plan incorporating the recommendations set forth in the body of this report as follows:
a. Include the CA on a committee designated to recruit and select new HR Bureau Chief;
b. Restructure and standardize Bureau of HR personnel processes and procedures;
c. Conduct training of Bureau of HR staff and hiring department management on specific and critical human resources skills;
d. Establish separate, independent human resources function for the Bureau of Public Health;
e. Apply hiring plan recommendations to transfers, promotions and reclassifications.
7. The CA recommends that the County create a document that sets out Shakman rights and responsibilities to be publicly posted in all departments.
8. The CA recommends that the County create a system for reporting and logging all political contacts regarding all employees.
9. The CA recommends that Shakman-exempt individuals be identified on the County website and the CA website by name, department and job title.
10. The CA recomn1ends that the County should institute a targeted desk audit. This recommendation is in light of the fact that the previously intended desk audits (as set forth in the “Resolution Requiring and Independent Management Audit of all Positions as Grades 17 Through 24 Including Positions Exempt Under the Federal Court Shakman Consent Decree”) are no longer being undertaken by the County due to lack of funds.
11. The CA recommends that the County should hire an HR consultant with a specialty in healthcare to assist in the creation of a new Bureau of Health HR plan.
12. The CA recommends that the County create job descriptions for all Shakman exempt
employees.
13. The CA recommends that the job descriptions of Shakman-exempt employees should be publicly posted.
14. The CA recommends that the County should amend the anti-patronage ordinance, No. 06-0-52 (Appendix A) to require that the recommendations be made in writing. The CA has previously made this recommendation in the “First Semi-Annual
Report.”
To be continued…
You can read the full Shakman report here.
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