Chicago Paul Hansen email investigations continue by the Office of Inspector General

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• A continuing OIG investigation established that a Department of Water Management (DWM) supervisory employee received numerous racist and offensive emails on the employee’s City email account over the course of several years and failed to report those emails and, in at least one instance, provided an affirming and acquiescing email response. OIG recommended that DWM discharge and refer the employee for placement on the ineligible for rehire list maintained by the Department of Human Resources (DHR). In response, DWM suspended the employee for 14 days. DWM acknowledged that the employee failed to report receiving numerous racist and offensive emails, but noted that the majority of the emails in question were also sent to three top-level DWM managers, including the commissioner at the time.
• A continuing OIG investigation established that a Department of Water Management (DWM) supervisory employee sent or received at least five racist and hateful emails and received at least one sexually explicit photo, using the employee’s City email account and computer. OIG would have recommended that DWM discharge the employee, but the employee retired after being interviewed. OIG therefore recommended that DWM issue a formal determination, designate the employee as having resigned under inquiry, and place OIG’s report in the employee’s personnel file. In response, DWM agreed with OIG’s findings and recommendations, and the employee was designated as retired under inquiry.