Commissioners Praise Completion of Labor Contracts and Others Complain about Hiring Software Tool

2016 Cook County Proposed Budget:  Bureau of Human Resources, Oct. 22, 2015

Martha Martinez, the head of the Bureau of Administration, is also currently the Interim Bureau Chief for the Bureau of Human Resources.  Her slide presentation can be found at http://cook-county.legistar.com under “Meeting Details” for the Finance Committee meeting of Oct. 22.  This Bureau is responsible for all the human relations activities for departments under the jurisdiction of the President.

Commissioner Suffredin noted that for the first time since he has been a Commissioner, this Bureau expects to have completed all, or all but 2 small contracts currently in arbitration, contracts for union employees through 2017.  In the past, the Bureau was still negotiating contracts for periods of time that had already expired. 

Commissioners Sims and Steele, however, complained about the Taleo software system which helps sort applications for positions, weeding out those which do not appear to have the minimum requirements, and then randomly selecting 10 applicants at a time for interviews from those applications which meet the minimum requirements.  This system was put into place as part of the County’s efforts to comply with the Shakman decree, which outlaws patronage hiring for the vast majority of County positions.  Ms. Martinez urged that the Commissioners advise anyone complaining to Commissioners that they are not getting interviews to contact the Bureau so it can see whether the applicants are qualified, whether they are completing the application correctly, or whether they are simply not being called for interviews because of the random selection process that is being used to avoid the appearance of favoritism.

-- Priscilla Mims