Cook County Human Rights Ordinance: What Employers Should Know
Cook County has its own ban on discrimination and harassment, enforced by its Commission on Human Rights. It reaches employers with one or more workers in Cook County, not in DuPage, Kane, Will or Kendall.
Prepared by Prem Tax and Accounting Corp. Last checked against official sources on October 29, 2026.
The Cook County Human Rights Ordinance bans discrimination and harassment in jobs, housing, credit and public places, and matters to any employer with workers in Cook County. The Commission on Human Rights enforces it. Our checklist is the Clear-Window Hiring Review. It applies in Cook County, not in DuPage, Kane, Will or Kendall counties. Official text: Cook County Code, Chapter 42, Article II.
- Employers with one or more workers, based or active in Cook County, can be covered.
- There are 19 protected bases, including source of income and caste.
- Credit checks and early criminal-record questions are limited.
- The filing window is 180 days; an employer's answer is due 30 days after service.
Who it covers
| Group | Covered? | Note |
|---|---|---|
| Employers with one or more employees, based in or doing business in Cook County | Yes | No minimum headcount |
| Federal, State and Cook County town governments, tribes | No | Not employers |
| Workers, volunteers, trainees, applicants | Protected | Paid or unpaid |
| Town with its own ordinance | Sometimes not | Where it covers the same conduct |
| Business only in DuPage, Kane, Will or Kendall | No | Outside it |
The numbers
Cook County only, as of October 2026.
| Item | Number | Year |
|---|---|---|
| Filing window | 180 days | 2026 |
| Employer answer | 30 days from service | 2026 |
| Court, employment case | 20 days to elect, 90 to sue | 2026 |
| Fine the Commission can order | $100 to $500 per offense; each day counts | 2026 |
| Credit-check exceptions (examples) | Custody of cash or marketable assets of $2,500 or more; signing power over $100 or more per transaction | 2026 |
Source: Code 42-34, Commission Rules
Our checklist
The Clear-Window Hiring Review: view each hiring step as a regulator would.
- Application: drop credit and early criminal-history questions unless an exception fits.
- Ads and interviews: check wording against the 19 bases.
- Accommodation: keep a written route for religious requests.
- Harassment: name who takes complaints and who acts on them.
- Records: if served, keep relevant records and calendar the 30-day answer.
Mistakes people make
- Asking for a credit report for a role outside the exceptions.
- Asking about criminal history before an interview or conditional offer.
- Missing the 30-day answer.
Call an attorney about a served complaint, default notice, court election or retaliation claim; a CPA firm cannot advise on those.
Common questions
What are the 19 protected classes in the Code?
Race (including hair texture and protective hairstyles), color, sex, age (40 or older), religion, disability, national origin, ancestry, ethnicity, sexual orientation, marital status, parental status, pregnancy status, military discharge status, source of income, gender identity, housing status, bodily autonomy and caste.
How long does someone have to file a complaint?
180 days from the alleged violation, or its last day if continuing. State and federal deadlines differ; see [Title VII](/small-business-laws/federal/title-vii/) and the [Illinois Human Rights Act](/small-business-laws/illinois/human-rights-act/).
Can an employer ask about credit or criminal history?
Only within limits. Credit checks are barred except for listed roles and employers. Criminal history waits until an interview is set or a conditional offer, with exceptions.
Official sources
- Cook County: Human Rights Ordinance and Regulations
- Cook County Commission on Human Rights
- Commission on Human Rights: Substantive and Procedural Rules, effective 19 November 2024
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