Jul 6, 2007 10:17 am US/Central
City Plans To Outsource Some Hiring Duties
Move Comes Following Conviction Of 4 City Employees Over Hiring Methods
CHICAGO (AP) ―
Chicago's City Hall plans to outsource some hiring duties following a federal trial in which former city employees were convicted of corrupting the employment process, according to a published report.
The Chicago Tribune reported in its Friday editions that the city recently asked companies to submit their qualifications to take over part of the city's hiring duties.
The selected firm or firms will "administer examinations in an environment that will ensure the proper administration and the integrity of the exam process," according to the city's request.
The company chosen will help the city's Human Resources Department develop a job training process and also design tests for job applications, the Tribune reported. It also will accept job applications and compile test results.
Jodi Kawada, a spokeswoman for Mayor Richard M. Daley, told the Tribune that Human Resources would continue to perform many of its current duties. She said the city hadn't yet decided how extensively it would use an outside firm or firms.
It's not clear how many of the city's 30,000 jobs would be affected.
Robert Sorich, Daley's former patronage chief, and three other former city employees are appealing their convictions on federal charges that they conspired to rig the city's hiring process to help job candidates with political clout.
A federal judge in May approved a sweeping settlement to end a nearly 40-year-long legal battle over political hiring at City Hall. Under the agreement, the city will establish a $12 million fund administered by a court-appointed monitor to compensate victims of unfair hiring practices.
Attorney Michael Shakman's lawsuit against the city served as the catalyst for the deal. Shakman told the Tribune that he was not aware of the outsourcing plan but said it appears to involve a private firm taking over many of the city's personnel duties.
"We'd like to understand the reasons for this approach," Shakman said.
(© 2007 The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.)
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