Welcome to the official website of the Compliance Administrator for the Clerk of the Circuit Court of Cook County (“Clerk”). This site is designed to be an on-line resource for current and past employees of the Clerk of the Circuit Court of Cook County’s Office (“Clerk’s Office”) and any other citizen, voter or taxpayer who may be interested in the ongoing work of  Susan G. Feibus, the federal court-appointed Compliance Administrator for the Clerk (“CCCA”).

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On August 10, 2018, federal Magistrate Judge Sidney I. Schenkier entered the Supplemental Relief Order ("SRO"), in Shakman et al. v. The Democratic Organization of Cook County, et al. (Case No. 69 C 2145) (N.D. Ill.) (“Shakman Case”) that applies to the Clerk’s Office.   The SRO is an agreement between the Plaintiffs in the Shakman Case and the Clerk to ensure that all of the Clerk’s decisions relating to employment actions involving Clerk office employees who are not “Shakman Exempt” (which is a limited number of high level employees, most of whom are in policymaking positions) are based on merit and not on political reasons or factors.  

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Pursuant to the SRO, Judge Schenkier initially appointed the Honorable Clifford L. Meacham (ret.) as the CCCA.  Effective March 11, 2019, following Meacham’s resignation, Judge Schenkier appointed Susan G. Feibus as CCCA.

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The Clerk Compliance Administrator’s job includes:

 

• auditing all hires, promotions, and transfers since January 1, 2014

• reviewing the Clerk Office's employment practices to determine compliance with the court's decrees and hiring procedures

•  investigating evidence of unlawful political discrimination

• recommending measures to prevent recurrence of unlawful political discrimination

• recommending how to remedy violations of previous court decrees

• recommending changes, if warranted, to the Clerk's hiring procedures

• involvement in the creation of an Employment Plan, governing all hiring and promotions and many other things, which is required by the SRO

• ultimately recommending (or not) whether the Clerk has substantially complied with the SRO and operates her office free from political discrimination. 

 

If and when the federal court overseeing the Shakman Case determines that the Clerk has substantially complied with the SRO and operates her office free from political discrimination, the SRO will terminate.

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Providing Information to the Clerk Compliance Administrator

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The CCCA welcomes input from the public concerning ways to ensure the satisfactory completion of her mission to rid the Clerk’s Office of employment actions based on politics instead of merit.  She particularly seeks the input of job applicants, current employees, former employees, elected officials and any other person interested is sharing their experiences and/or opinions. Anyone who has information regarding unlawful political discrimination in the Clerk’s Office is encouraged to contact the CCCA or her counsel.  Information regarding unlawful political discrimination may be provided anonymously.

 

You may reach Susan G. Feibus in her role of CCCA at  (312) 343-0221 or via email at susan@feibuslaw.com. If you wish to meet in person, please contact us to make an appointment. 

 

The CCCA asks past and present Clerk's Office employees who believe they were the victim of unlawful political discrimination to complete the applicable Survey on the “Survey” page of this website.  

 

The CCCA is limited to investigating unfair political discrimination in the Clerk’s Office.  Complaints of racial, gender, religious, sexual preference discrimination and similar matters are outside the scope of the Amended SRO from which the CCCA derives her authority.  Such complaints should be directed to James Murphy-Aguilu, the Inspector General of the Clerk’s Office.   

 

Providing Information to the Director of Compliance

 

On June 19, 2019, Judge Schenkier entered an order amending the SRO to authorize the Clerk’s Office’s Director of Compliance (“DOC”) to investigate complaints of unlawful political discrimination by Clerk’s Office employees in connection with their employment with the Clerk of Court’s Office.  The DOC is a Clerk’s Office employee charged with making sure that all of the Clerk’s Office’s decisions relating to employment are based on merit and not on political reasons or factors.  On June 28, 2021, Judge Chang appointed Susan Feibus as the Interim Director of Compliance.

 

Current Clerk Office employees may make a formal complaint to the DOC by using a Post-SRO Complaint Form, which also is available on the “Filing a Post-SRO Complaint” page of this website.  A complaint also may be made by current or former Clerk Office employees simply by reaching out to the DOC. 

 

You may reach Susan Feibus at at (312) 343-0221 or via email at susan@feibuslaw.com. If you wish to meet in person, please contact Ms. Feibus to make an appointment.

 

The DOC is limited to investigating unfair political discrimination in the Clerk’s Office.  Complaints of racial, gender, religious, sexual preference discrimination and similar matters are outside the scope of the Amended SRO from which the DOC derives his authority.  Such complaints should be directed to James Murphy-Aguilu, the Inspector General of the Clerk’s Office.

 

This Website

 

This website is limited to issues related to the CCCA’s work with the Clerk’s Office. You also can find information on the Clerk of the Circuit Court's  website.

 

If you are looking for information about the  Shakman Compliance Administrator for the Cook County Assessor’s Office,  please visit shakmanassessor.com.  If you are looking for information about the  Shakman Compliance Administrator for the Cook County Recorder of Deeds, please visit recordershakman.com.

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