Thousands Of County Workers To Take Ethics Class

Hundreds of county staffers are being sent to school for training on right and wrong.

CHICAGO (AP) - New Cook County board president Tony Preckwinkle has issued an executive order requiring thousands of government employees to take online ethics training every year.

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The Chicago Tribune reports the new rules are a change because Preckwinkle says in the past about 500 elected officials and employees had to participate in a 1-time ethics training. Preckwinkle's order requires employees to take ethics training when they start work with the county and then annually.

Preckwinkle says 2,200 employees who work under her, 500 at county forest preserves and about 6,700 public health workers will be required to take ethics training. Her order also requests countywide officials and board commissioners require their employees to undergo ethics training.

Preckwinkle called her effort "a first step."

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