Commissioners Approve 12-Week Paid Parental Leave

Cook County Board of Commissioners Committee Meetings
June 28, 2023

The Commissioners had a full day of Committee meetings filled with much substance. Highlights below include

• Approval of the 12-week paid parental leave for offices under the President (not for employees who work for the other County Elected Officials)
• Differing views about the conditions inside the Juvenile Temporary Detention Center
• Updates on the status of revenues vs. expenses for this fiscal year and on the long-term revenue forecast
• Update on what the different County offices are doing with respect to domestic violence cases

12-week paid parental leave

• The Finance Committee voted to direct the Bureau of Human Resources to put together a policy for paid parental leave for 12 weeks.  To qualify, the employee must have been full-time for at least 12 months and must be a birth parent, non-birthing biological parent, intended parent of a gestational surrogacy, parent of adopted child, or foster parent placed with a foster child of 17 or younger.  Employees will be limited to 1 such leave per 12 months.  
• Commissioner Degnen, the principal sponsor along with President Preckwinkle, explained that the policy would for now only cover employees under the offices of the President.  Each other Elected County Official must take their own steps to adopt such a policy.  Commissioner Degnen said the Board can and should encourage such steps by assuring the Electeds that the Board would make sure the money was there to cover the costs of such a policy.
• Commissioner Gainer said that she had left the City of Chicago’s employment years ago because it had no such policy.  She expects that having such a policy now at Cook County will enable many good employees to remain at the County.  
• Commissioner Kevin Morrison stressed that people who opt to take this leave should know there will be no retributions as a result - particularly that they will not miss out on promotions.
• Commissioner Miller emphasized that this policy should assist in improving the significant maternal mortality and morbidity rates that the Commissioners heard about the previous day by allowing birth mothers to have the time to obtain the care they need.  Commissioner Miller also said that this policy was another plus for attracting and retaining good workers at Cook County (again referencing yesterday’s meetings where they heard about the challenges of hiring).
• The Board approved this item (#23-3117) at the Board meeting on June 29.

Conditions at the Juvenile Temporary Detention Center (“JTDC”)

• The Audit Committee held a hearing to discuss Equip for Equality’s report on conditions inside the JTDC, which is under the authority of the Cook County Chief Judge.  The Chief Judge did not speak, but was present throughout.  
• Equip for Equality (“EFE”) is the private not-for-profit legal advocacy organization designated by the Governor to operate the federally mandated Protection and Advocacy (“P&A”) System for people with disabilities in Illinois.  EFE conducted observations and interviews with staff and detainees at the JTDC and the Chicago Public School that operates there from late 2021 thru early 2023.  The full report can be found at https://www.equipforequality.org/files/jtdc_report.pdf
• EFE recommends ending the practice of isolating youths and the use of a “holding” pod for those who either act up in the school or refuse to go to school.  EFE also recommends the end of the policy of having youths in the holding pod sit “on the wall” while they are given packets of work and utilize overturned chairs as desks, all the while not being able to talk to anyone.
• JTDC Superintendent Dixon and other supervisory JTDC staff stated there was no such “policy,” but admitted that this practice is used.  Supt. Dixon explained that this is used to prevent harm to others, as well as for the youths themselves.  There are serious gang issues within the JTDC, and the youth detained there are generally accused of serious crimes, including murder and attempted murder.  
• EFE is particularly focused on those detained in the JTDC who have special needs and the failure to accommodate that in the school.  However, Supt. Dixon explained that the staff are not advised by the Chicago Public Schools (“CPS”) as to when any of the youth there have special needs.  The prior memorandum of understanding between CPS and the JTDC lapsed a long time ago and a new one is just now being negotiated which presumably would provide for such information to be given to the JTDC.

Current Fiscal Year and Long-Term Revenue Forecast

• The Comptroller reported to the Finance Committee that both the General Fund and Health Enterprise Fund have positive balances due to revenues exceeding expenses:  $162 M for the General Fund and $108 M for the Health Fund.
• Dean Constantinou, Deputy Chief Financial Officer, presented the quarterly update on the long-term revenue forecast developed by the County’s Independent Revenue Forecast Commission.  The forecast is for slow economic growth into 2024, which should have a positive impact on revenues, particularly the sales tax which, as of April, is projected to be 1.3% over budget.  As a result of projected small surpluses going forward over the next 5 years, the County’s Fund Balance should continue to be above the maximum desired under the County’s policy, resulting in additional funds being available.
• The forecast is also for revenues to exceed expenses in the Health Fund going forward.  County Care membership is expected to peak in June and then drop off.  After November of 2024, the forecast is for membership to remain flat.

Domestic Violence

• The Criminal Justice Committee heard from representatives from the offices of the State’s Attorney, Sheriff, Chief Judge, and Clerk of the Circuit Court on what is going on with respect to domestic violence cases.  The Public Defender was not available.  Prior to the meeting, Commissioner Anaya, the sponsor of the item (23-2711) calling for the hearing, had met with each office explaining what she wanted covered.
• The State’s Attorney’s representative talked about the Domestic Violence Mental Health Court pilot that started in February.  The focus is on familial conflicts with outpatient and inpatient treatment for both defendants and victims.  So far, there have been 50 cases and 5 graduates. 
• The State’s Attorney is recommending (1) technology upgrades to the domestic violence court at 555 W. Harrison, (2) creation of a shared screening data base among agencies, and (3) the elimination of paper communications.  
• The Clerk of the Court’s representative reiterated the need for a single system among the criminal justice offices, and said that there is one that all offices have access to:  the Clerk of the Court’s Case Management System.  What needs to be done now is make sure all offices are trained on using it.  The representative explained that each office still needed its own system to manage its work load – other offices, for example, should not have access to the State Attorney’s case management system.  
• Honorable Judy Rice, the Acting Presiding Judge of the Domestic Violence Court, reported that there are 1500 new cases each month, both criminal and civil.  There are monthly meetings among all the entities (DV advocacy, Sheriff, Clerk of the Court, State’s Attorney, DV Judges, etc.) and the Chief Judge’s office supports increased staffing for all.  Since the pilot program for “After Hours” Domestic Violence Court (9 pm to 3 am on weeknights and 1 pm to 6 pm on weekends) there have been 543 cases.

​Observer: Priscilla Mims