Macomb, Ill. (ECWd) –
Mc Donough County Hospital District (“Mc Donough District Hospital”) has been dragging out its duty to properly answer a Freedom of Information Act (“FOIA”) request, in apparent violation of the Act.
While reviewing the hospital districts across the state of Illinois, we looked at their most recent Annual Financial Report (“AFR”) submitted to the Illinois Comptroller. The Mc Donough District Hospital indicated on its most recent AFR that one of its assets was around $350,154.00 for “Employee Incentive Loans.”
Knowing that the Freedom of Information Act mandates disclosure of all financial records under Section 2.05, and the Illinois Constitution mandates similar disclosure under Article VIII, Section 1(c), we sent a request for all the records related to those employee incentive loans.
This FOIA request was sent on September 3, 2026. Here is what we asked for: “Copy of the loan recipients name(s), dollar amounts, and contract(s) or agreement(s) related to the “Employee Incentive Loan(s)” as reported on your Annual Financial Report submitted to the Illinois Comptroller.”
The first response, on September 11th, was a request for an additional 3 days to respond, we agreed.
The second response, on September 18th, was incomplete, it merely stated the following: “According to our Fiscal Year 2025 Annual Financial Report, a total of $355,154.46 is listed under Employee Incentive Loan balance.”
We responded the same day with: “Pursuant to my FOIA, I want copies of which person or people owe the debt to the district. Which employees received the loans, where are the loan contracts, and anything else related to those loans.”
The third response on September 21st, was incomplete as it only listed the employee positions and loan dollar amounts. The names were redacted, and we did not receive any of the other paperwork requested dealing with those loans.
We responded the same day asking for them to unredact the names and have heard nothing back since.
What was provided is interesting, such as these delinquent loans:
- Employees whose last employment was at least a year ago (2025), still owe a total of $39,017.83
- Employee who last worked 37 months ago still owes $9,515.13
- Employees who last worked in 2022 and 2024 owe more than $91,000.00
Now the question is, how do they plan on recouping the monies owed to the district?
3 Responses
Lots of hospitals loan money to employees in the form of tuition advances for nursing school and other professional training. The employee pays it back with payroll withholding. I have also seen “sign-on bonuses” that are paid up front and treated as a loan that is forgiven after “x” months of employment instead of paying it in installments in the first place. Not saying it is legal, just that it is done. Many rural hospitals are desperate for professional staff and any kind of gimmick or gimme to get them signed up is on the table.
We agree, and the only ones we have problems with are the ones who no longer work there (1, 2, 3, and 4 years ago) who have not paid it back.
And the bigger question is, how is a hospital district authorized to make loans to employees? Give me the statute that says this is their function to do this with taxpayer dollars. Good grief….Does the grift ever end?