Every dollar amount and date on this page is quoted from the official settlement document.
Cook County $5.68M Race Discrimination in Hiring Settlement
If you're a Black applicant who tested for a Cook County Correctional Officer position and felt the screening tests were unfair, you can file a claim for up to $10,000. You must actively submit a claim form — nothing is automatic. A filing deadline hasn't been announced yet.
Official eligibility wordingBlack applicants for Cook County Correctional Officer jobs who took the Merit Board's screening tests (the first written test, second written test, and physical abilities test) alleged to have discriminated against Black applicants. Checked against the official settlement source by SettleSignal on June 16, 2026.
Open to residents of: Illinois
We don't list a claim deadline or a proof requirement here yet — confirm both on the settlement site before filing.
Key facts
- Who may qualify You may qualify if you're a Black applicant who took any of the three Merit Board screening tests for a Cook County Correctional Officer job — the first written test, second written test, or the physical abilities test — and were part of the applicant pool covered by this lawsuit (Case No. 18-cv-553).
- Estimated payoutUp to $10,000 per person
- What you needSubmit a claim form online at simpsoncookcountysettlement.com/Login. Proof requirements haven't been specified yet, so gather any records you have of your application and test participation. If you want to reapply for the job, submit a separate job application form at the same site.
How hard is this claim to file?
What the form asks
- Claim Form — Your personal information as a Black applicant who took the Merit Board's Correctional Officer screening tests. (Your own Cook County job application records.)
- Job Application Form (optional) — Fill this out only if you want to reapply for the Correctional Officer job under the new settlement process. (Available on the settlement website and directly at https://cookcountyil.taleo.net/careersection/800/jobsearch.ftl?lang=en.)
Documents you'll need
- Evidence of test participation (if requested)
Watch out for
- The claim deadline isn't published here. Go to https://www.simpsoncookcountysettlement.com/Dates to find it.
- Want both the money and the job reapplication? Submit both forms. Submitting only one locks you out of the other benefit.
- Your actual payment could be less than $10,000. The final per-person amount depends on how many class members file valid claims and what the Court approves for fees.
- Attorneys plan to ask the Court for one-third of the $5,675,000 fund as fees, which reduces what's left for claimants.
- If you don't file, you get no money and lose your spot in the job reapplication process.
We prepare — you file on the official site yourself. This is not legal advice and is not an eligibility decision; the administrator and court decide.
Verify it yourself
How we verified this record
- Payout details
- Eligibility
- Official claim link
- 5 fields queued for re-check
1 official source linked to this record.
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Eligibility summary Quoted in the official eligibility wording above ↑
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Estimated payout
Up to $10,000 per person
Show all 1 more verified field
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Official claim URL
www.simpsoncookcountysettlement.com
Where to act
File directly with the official administrator via the official claim form.
