Cook County committee receives human rights department's first-quarter report showing rise in complaints

The Cook County Human Relations Committee voted unanimously to receive and file the Department of Human Rights and Ethics' first-quarter report during its meeting. Jennifer Kane, director of the department, presented data covering December 2025 through February 2026 and highlighted the quarter's volume of inquiries and new complaints.

"The total number of inquiries for the first quarter are 260," Kane told commissioners, and "the total number of new complaints filed was 112." She said the department had 240 active cases pending during the quarter and that investigators closed 80 matters, with 68 completed within 180 days and 18 identified as duplicates.

Kane pointed to a notable year-over-year increase: the report cites 148 new complaints in fiscal year 2024 and 321 new complaints in fiscal year 2025. "We're kind of monitoring, for the next quarter or the current quarter that we're in to see if this will continue, as a trend," she said, adding that the department will continue to refine its reporting categories.

The presentation gave a topic-level breakdown of inquiries and complaints. Kane said paid-leave matters accounted for the largest share of inquiries in the quarter (72), and that other categories included "wrong number" inquiries (38) and inquiries related to the residential landlord-tenant ordinance (28). Of the housing complaints filed, Kane said the largest number by respondent municipality was in Chicago (8). She also said the most common basis for dismissal was lack of jurisdiction (35 cases).

Commissioner Anaya asked for clearer historical comparisons of pending cases and quarterly trends so commissioners could better assess volume and staffing needs. "Does that mean that you were not tracking those or does that mean that you didn't have any?" Anaya asked; Kane said the department intends to add totals for prior fiscal years and the comparable quarter in future reports.

The committee moved to receive and file the report; the motion, made by Commissioner Trevor and seconded by Commissioner Nyah, passed on a roll call vote, 7–0. The report will be included in committee records and staff said they would revise upcoming reports to include additional year-over-year comparisons and pending-case totals.

The committee then approved minutes from its Jan. 14, 2026 meeting and adjourned.