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Cook County board approves move to UKG payroll system; contract review required
Summary
After a multi‑year review, the board approved transitioning county payroll and HR functions to UKG, with the contract to be reviewed by county attorneys and signed by the chair and auditor. Supporters cited long‑term cost and operational benefits; members asked for oversight on launch costs and added fees.
The Cook County Board of Commissioners voted unanimously to move the county’s payroll and human‑resources operations to UKG, approving a contract transition and instructing staff to have the document reviewed by the county attorney and to authorize the board chair and county auditor to sign.
County staff said the county’s current payroll vendor (MSIS) is becoming less viable as other counties leave that shared service and costs are rising. “We would be forced into this eventually,” Staff member Brady said, noting the county committee had evaluated multiple vendors and found UKG to be the best operational fit.
Board members said the switch should deliver operational efficiencies and reduce long‑term costs. Administrator Rogers said past attempts to change payroll systems stalled when workloads and integration problems grew; he called the present offer and vendor maturity reasons to act now. “Having a single system reduces redundancy and risk,” Rogers said.
Supporters pointed to estimated pricing in staff presentations: a base subscription fee projected at roughly $10,000 for 2026 and launch fees that staff said range from an estimated $20,000–$25,000 under a cooperative procurement route to a lowered vendor offer staff described in the meeting. Commissioners asked for clarity about add‑on service fees (extra payroll runs, optional modules) and for controls on future price increases; staff said the vendor offered a predictable annual increase cap (noted in contract materials as about 4 percent per year).
Commissioners also discussed implementation risk because payroll and HR functions are “one‑deep” in some departments; staff said successful launch will require concentrated effort from specific employees and might require consultant time for data conversion. Rogers said the county is planning for the needed staff time and will budget for any necessary implementation assistance.
The motion to approve the transition and to route the contract to the county attorney for review passed unanimously.
