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 the Cook County Assessor’s Office (“Assessor’s Office”), among other defendants, from conditioning, basing or affecting any term or aspect of governmental employment upon or because of any political reason or factor.

In 1972 and 1995, the United States District Court for the Northern District of Illinois entered Consent Decrees with respect to the Assessor’s Office, prohibiting the conditioning, basing or affecting any term or aspect of governmental employment upon or because of any political reason or factor. Those Consent Decrees 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 Decrees.

On August 15, 2012, the Assessor’s Office agreed to the entry of an Agreed Order by the District Court. The Agreed Order provides a framework for the Assessor’s Office to implement additional policies and procedures to assure that all aspects of employment are free from unlawful political discrimination.

• Assessor Final Agreed Order - 8-15-12
• Exhibit 1 - Final Agreed Order
• Exhibit A Notice to Class
• Assessor - Form 1 (Pre-AO Claim Form and Release)
• Exhibit III.E.2
• Opt-Out Form
• Complaint Form
• Prohibition of Political Discrimination
• Whistle Blower Protection

In order to advance the goal of bringing the Assessor’s Office into substantial compliance, the Assessor’s Office must, among other things, revise and implement its Employment Plan. The Employment Plan will bring the Assessor’s Office closer to achieving substantial compliance. The Plan will include the general principles that will govern the Assessor’s Office’s hiring and employment policies under the jurisdiction of the Assessor and it applies to current employees of the Assessor’s Office as well as all applicants and candidates. The Plan will implement pro-active and transparent policies, practices and procedures and include elements that address the prohibition and influence of political reasons and factors in the employment process. In addition, the Plan will address an employee’s duty to report unlawful political discrimination.

An exempt position is one that involves policy making to an extent or is confidential in such a way that political affiliation is an appropriate consideration for the effective performance of the job. Please refer to the exempt list and associated job descriptions for more information.

Additional information may be found from the Shakman Compliance Administrator’s website at: www.shakmanassessor.com

You can also obtain copies from:

• Patrick T. Driscoll, Jr., counsel for Cook County, State's Attorney's Office
  500 Richard J. Daley Center, Chicago, IL 60602
• Roger Fross, counsel for the plaintiff classes, Locke Lord LLP
  111 South Wacker Drive, Suite 4100, Chicago, Illinois 60606
• Honorable Clifford Meacham, Assessor Compliance Administrator
  69 West Washington Street, Suite 1416, Chicago, IL 60602