The Cook County Human Rights Ordinance is a county law that bans discrimination and harassment in jobs, housing, credit, public places and County services. The Cook County Commission on Human Rights enforces it. These are Cook County rules: they reach employers that are based or do business in Cook County, and not businesses that operate only in DuPage, Kane, Will or Kendall counties. This page is for owners of small businesses, freelancers, nonprofits and professionals who hire or manage workers in the county.
Who is covered
| Situation | Covered? | Note |
|---|---|---|
| Employer with one or more employees, based or doing business in Cook County | Yes | No minimum headcount |
| Applicants, paid and unpaid workers, volunteers, trainees, apprentices | Protected | All count as "employees" |
| U.S. government, wholly owned federal corporations, Indigenous American tribes, State of Illinois | Not employers under it | Excluded by definition |
| Governments of municipalities in Cook County | Not employers under it | Excluded by definition |
| A town with its own ordinance on the same conduct, with remedies | County article does not apply there for that conduct | The town's ordinance prevails in a conflict |
| Anyone alleging a violation that happened in whole or part in Cook County, including people not able to work lawfully in the U.S. | May file | Commission Rules Subpart 410 |
| Employer operating only in DuPage, Kane, Will or Kendall counties | No | Outside Cook County |
How it touches your taxes and payroll
The credit-history rule meets payroll when hiring bookkeepers, payroll staff and managers. The Code's exceptions track signatory power over business assets of $100 or more per transaction, custody of $2,500 or more, managerial control and access to financial information. Whether a particular job fits is a judgment call for the employer and its attorney. Unpaid volunteers and trainees count as employees, so unpaid status does not remove coverage. Remedies can include back pay, and how those payments are reported for payroll tax is a separate federal question.
The federal Title VII and the Illinois Human Rights Act are separate laws with their own coverage and deadlines. Another Cook County employer law is the paid leave ordinance.
Next, read the rules and numbers page, then the checklist and FAQs page, which holds the Lamplight Hiring Review.
Official sources
- Cook County: Human Rights Ordinance and Regulations
- Cook County Commission on Human Rights
- Cook County Code of Ordinances, Chapter 42, Article II (Municode)
- Cook County Commission on Human Rights: Substantive and Procedural Rules (PDF, effective 19 November 2024)
This page is a plain-language summary. The official source controls if there is any difference.