Statements of Economic Interests

Common Questions and Key Terms:

 

What criteria determine WHO must complete a Statement?

The criteria applicable to University of Illinois employees can be found in the Illinois Governmental Ethics Act (5 ILCS 420/4A-101(f)):

  • Persons who are or who function as the head of a department or other administrative unit;
  • Those who have supervisory authority over or direct responsibility for the formulation, negotiation, issuance or execution of contracts entered into by the State (BANNER approval authority, TEM approval authority, etc.);
  • Those who are a Principal Investigator (PI) or Co-PI on a grant;
  • Those who have supervisory responsibility for 20 or more employees; or
  • Those who have responsibility for the procurement of goods and services (University P-Card, department card, travel card, i-buy).

The above criteria are coded as position descriptors in BANNER, with the exception of the PI's and Co-PI's who are identified through Grants and Contracts. In addition, a list of employees coded in BANNER as meeting the criteria is distributed to Unit Human Resources Contacts for review prior to being submitted to the Office of the Secretary of State.

Please note: Employees of University Related Organizations (i.e. University of Illinois Foundation and Alumni Association) are not required to file a Statement of Economic Interests.

Who should I contact if I received notification to file a Statement and don't feel I meet one of the above criteria?

You should contact the University Ethics and Compliance Office via the Ethics Line at: 866-758-2146 or via e-mail at: ethicsofficer@uillinois.edu if you feel you were mistakenly identified in the filing population. You will need to provide your full name and University Identification Number (the violet digits on your i-card that begin with a 65, 66, or 67) to assist the University Ethics and Compliance Office in identifying you on their list.

You can also review the Statement of Economic Interests section of this web site.

Who should I contact with questions on HOW to complete my Statement?

You should first review the form-specific questions section of this website for detailed instructions related to each question on the form. If you still have questions, please contact the University Ethics and Compliance Office at 866-758-2146 or ethicsofficer@uillinois.edu for additional assistance.

Who should I call with questions about the Illinois Governmental Ethics Act?

Questions related to the law should be directed to the Office of the Secretary of State at: 217-524-0309.

Please note: The only individuals who can change laws are the State Legislators.

What are the FILING PROCEDURES for the Statement of Economic Interests?

The University Ethics and Compliance Office will compile a list of individuals required to file, based on position descriptor coding, BANNER reports, and reports provided by Grants and Contracts.The list will include home addresses for employees and will be provided to the Office of the Secretary of State.

In March, the Office of the Secretary of State will send notification letters including the web address and filing password to the University of Illinois employees who have been identified as needing to file a Statement under the Illinois Governmental Ethics Act.

Employees will complete their Statements online by 11:59 PM on May 1st annually.

The Office of the Secretary of State will and email confirmation to you once your form has been filed. A second email will be received once your university Ethics Officer has reviewed your form (as required by state law). These emails will come from WebServers@ilsos.net.

What PENALTIES are in place for late filing or failure to file my Statement?

Penalties are assessed by the Office of the Secretary of State to the late filer as follows:

  • $15 for any form not filed by May 1st - the statutory deadline
  • $100 per day (in addition to the $15 fee) from May 16th until the date the signed original form is received and filed at the Office of the Secretary of State. 

Failure to file by May 31st will result in the employee's name being turned over to the Attorney General and may result in forfeiture

What should I do if I work for two separate state entities? Do I need to FILE MORE THAN ONE FORM?

If you work for more than one agency, board, or commission - you are only mandated to complete one Statement. The electronic filing will be routed to all necessary agency ethics officers for review. However, if you begin a job after you have already filed your form for the current filing period, you will need to complete and submit a paper filing form to the new agency of employment.

Please note: County Statement of Economic Interests forms are slightly different than the state agency forms, so employees who are required to complete forms for both a county and a state agency will have to file the two separate forms.

What will happen if I complete the paper form instead of filing electronically and send a PHOTOCOPY or an UNSIGNED Statement to the Office of the Secretary of State?

The Office of the Secretary of State only accepts original signatures on Statements. As such, if you send a copy or forget to sign your Statement, it will be returned to your home address with a letter explaining the problem.

Please note that if the Statement is not back at the Office of the Secretary of State corrected and completed by the May 1st deadline, a late fee will be assessed by the Secretary of State.

If a University employee is OUT OF THE COUNTRY and cannot meet the deadline, what should they do?

Per the Office of the Secretary of State, a letter or email should be written describing the circumstances and requesting a filing extension for the current year. The communication should be sent to the University Ethics and Compliance Office for review and forwarding to the Office of the Secretary of State. This letter must be sent before the May 1st deadline. Please send an e-mail to the University Ethics and Compliance Office at: ethicsofficer@uillinois.edu to discuss your particular situation in further detail.

Please note: Paid sabbaticals are not excused and employees on a paid sabbatical are still required to complete this requirement.

I have always completed a Statement in the past, but did not receive notification to file this year. I know it is the time of year when the Statement should be completed and do not want to receive a fine. What should I do, or who should I contact?

Please contact the University Ethics and Compliance Office at: 866-758-2146 or via e-mail at: ethicsofficer@uillinois.edu to determine whether or not you need to file this year. Please have your University Identification Number (UIN) readily available to assist staff in locating your records.