Illinois Human Rights Commission. Compliance Examination for the Two Years Ended June 30, 2011

              Office of the Auditor General, Iles Park Plaza, 740 E. Ash St., Springfield, IL 62703 • Tel: 217-782-6046 or TTY 888-261-2887
This Report Digest and a Full Report are also available on the internet at www.auditor.illinois.gov
HUMAN RIGHTS COMMISSION
COMPLIANCE EXAMINATION
For the Two Years Ended: June 30, 2011
Summary of Findings:
Total this audit:
Total last audit:
Repeated from last audit:
4
9
3
Release Date: January 26, 2012
SYNOPSIS
• The Commission did not timely publish its decisions.
• The Commission did not notify the Secretary of State of an employee whose position required them to file an economic interest statement.
{Expenditures and Activity Measures are summarized on the reverse page.}EXPENDITURE STATISTICS
Total Operating Expenditures.........................
1,909,830$
1,754,994$
1,960,517$
Total Receipts....................................................
450$
782$
122$
Average Number of Employees.......................
21
23
21
SELECTED ACTIVITY MEASURES (Not Examined)
2011
2010
2009
Average Number of Administrative Law Judges
at Year End..........................................................
9
9
7
Average Administrative Judge Caseload............
99
110
154
Total Complaints Filed or on File.......................
1,235
1,339
1,441
Cases Completed.................................................
346
353
360
Open Cases at Fiscal Year End...........................
889
986
1,081
During Examination Period: Mr. N. Keith Chambers
Currently: Mr. N. Keith Chambers
HUMAN RIGHTS COMMISSION
COMPLIANCE EXAMINATION
For the Two Years Ended June 30, 2011
EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR
2009
2010
2011iii
Decisions were not published on the website within 120 days
Commission agreed with auditors
Employee did not file economic interest statement
Commission agreed with auditors
FINDINGS, CONCLUSIONS, AND RECOMMENDATIONS
UNTIMELY PUBLICATION OF DECISIONS
The Human Rights Commission (Commission) did not timely publish its decisions.
Five of 25 (20%) decisions tested were not published on the Commission’s website within 120 calendar days of the disposal date. The decisions were published from 12 to 39 days late. (Finding 1, page 9) This finding was first reported in 2007.
We recommended the Commission comply with the Illinois Human Rights Act and publish all of its decisions within 120 calendar days.
The Commission agreed with our recommendation as it applied to FY09/10 and stated it was due to unavailability of resources and appropriate manpower. (For previous Commission response, see Digest Footnote #1)
FAILURE TO FILE ECONOMIC INTEREST STATEMENT
The Commission did not notify the Secretary of State of an employee whose position required them to file an economic interest statement.
During testing, we noted an employee who functions as the head of a department and has direct supervisory authority over the formulation, negotiation, issuance or execution of contracts entered into by the State in the amount of $5,000 or more was omitted from the list of employees required to file statements of economic interest, and therefore, did not file the required economic interest statements for FY10 or FY11with the Secretary of State. (Finding 3, page 11)
We recommended the Commission comply with the Act and take appropriate action to ensure required employees file economic interest statements with the Secretary of State.
The Commission agreed with our recommendation and stated the specific filing was done and submitted to the Cook County Clerk’s Office rather than the Secretary of State’s office. The Agency will in the future inform staff to direct all filings to the Secretary of State’s office as recommended. iv
OTHER FINDINGS
The remaining findings are reportedly being given attention by the Commission. We will review the Commission’s progress toward implementation of our recommendations in our next examination.
AUDITORS’ OPINION
We conducted a compliance examination of the Commission as required by the Illinois State Auditing Act. The Commission has no funds that require an audit leading to an opinion of financial statements.
___________________________________
WILLIAM G. HOLLAND
Auditor General
WGH:PH:pp
AUDITORS ASSIGNED
The compliance examination was performed by the Auditor General’s staff.
DIGEST FOOTNOTE
#1 – UNTIMELY PUBLICATION OF DECISIONS
2009: Commission officials partially agreed with the finding and stated there was only one staff in the Office of the General Counsel from July 2007 to December 2007 and no staff in December 2008 to process the notices.