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PROPOSED RESOLUTION
Sponsored by: ALMA E. ANAYA and BRIDGET DEGNEN, Cook County Board of Commissioners
RESOLUTION UPDATING THE RETENTION BONUS PAY PROGRAM
WHEREAS, in 2022, the Cook County Board of Commissioners authorized the Cook County Bureau of Human Resources to enter into a pilot of the Recruitment Incentive and Retention Bonus Pay Program; and
WHEREAS, this program came to be after the County experienced the effects of the Great Resignation during and after the COVID-19 pandemic which led to many vacancies in various fields; and
WHEREAS, the goal of this program is to recruit more employees and increase Cook County’s workforce by offering non-compounding one-time incentive payments to address attrition, operational and hiring challenges, and to overcome other labor market challenges; and
WHEREAS, this program remains in effect and agencies that participated in the program touted much success in lowering their attrition rates and closing vacancies; and
WHEREAS, the Recruitment Incentive Pay and Retention Bonus Pay Program and Resolution and Annual Appropriation Bill for Fiscal Year 2025 includes directives for the Chief of the Bureau of Human Resources and Budget Director to evaluate and approve an agency’s request to participate in the Recruitment Incentive Pay and/or Retention Bonus Program subject to appropriation authority and the agency meeting the eligibility criteria established under the Program; and
WHEREAS, the Cook County Board of Commissioners encourages the Chief of the Bureau of Human Resources and the Budget Director to engage the requesting agency in the review of the request, collaborate in the analysis of the eligibility criteria and explain to the requesting agency should the agency not meet the criteria eligibility for the position to receive the recruitment or retention bonus.
NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED, the Cook County Board of Commissioners encourages the Chief of the Bureau of Human Resources and the Budget Director to engage the requesting appointed, independent, separately elected, or administrative officer (collectively “Agencies”), before making any final eligibility decisions in order for the Agency to address and defend the submission of eligibility criteria as required under the Recruitment Incentive Pay and Retention Bonus Pay Program; and
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, the Agencies are encouraged to participate in the review of their eligibility criteria submission, alongside the Chief of the Bureau of Human Resources and the Budget Director, who evaluate and authorize said requests; and
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, if there is a disagreement in any way on the eligibility for the bonus program, and/or the dollars allocated per job code, the Chief of the Bureau of Human Resources and Budget Director shall meet with the Agency to solicit any additional evidence of eligibility and then shall justify their decision and advise the Agency in writing the results of their decision if the position is not eligible under the program; and
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, that if after receiving the written decision of the Chief of the Bureau of Human Resources and Budget Director, the disagreement is still not resolved and the respective agency is within their budget, the Agency may appeal to the Cook County Board of Commissioners for approval in Committee.
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, that the Cook County Board of Commissioners does hereby support the continuation of the Retention Bonus Incentive Program.
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