Inspector General shows Illinois Department of Corrections failed to report alleged harassment

[July 18, 2023]  By Andrew Hensel | The Center Square

(The Center Square) – The Illinois Department of Corrections is the focus of an Illinois Inspector General report that states the department used a pick-and-choose system to determine which complaints were deemed serious.

The Office of Executive Inspector General report highlights instances in which a female employee continuously called other workers "boo" or "love" during conversations, leading one employee to file a complaint with the department.

The incidents between the employees also included arguments over work-related issues, and it was reported that in one instance, the complainant showed his gun to the female employee.

In response, the department officials did not report the claim to the Office of Affirmative Action due to their own judgment leading them to conclude that the complaint stemmed from "arguments" with the employee rather than feeling harassed by her language.

According to the report, at least 9 out of 10 incident reports involving discrimination or harassment were not properly sent to the Office of Affirmative Action.
 

State Sen. Terri Bryant, R-Murphysboro, told The Center Square in her experience department heads should never use their own judgment on this sort of complaint.

"I was a department head," Bryant said. "You do not make your own decision on your own whether or not it rises to the level of being sent to the Office of Affirmative Action."

Bryant also said that the department decided not to send the report to the proper places as protocol would suggest.

"They claim, and have been backed up by Chief [Jason] Garnett, that everyone was aware, and it looks like in this case that everyone was made aware except the Office of Affirmative Action," Bryant said. "Which really is unfortunate."

The OEIG report states that a "failure to send any complaints to the Office of Affirmative Action not only violates IDOC policy, but it contravenes the purpose of the policy—that is, it deprives the opportunity for an uninvolved office to examine these complaints in an objective manner."

"If you're an employer or if you're a supervisor, you can not take those kinds of risks," Bryant said. "It does not matter if one person is offended and not another person. You just can't use terms of endearment with people."

The inspector general determined that no further action would be necessary and has stated that the matter is considered closed.