Maintenance Laborer

Laborer - Introduction

This examination is open to all candidates, both internal and external, whose social security number matches the winning numbers or are within the range of the winning numbers plus 500.


Applications will be accepted only during the designated filing period for this examination. The opening and closing dates of the filing period are listed in this announcement. Applications must be filed by the following method:


Submitted online through the District's Online Employment Center at Applications must be submitted by 11:59 p.m. Central Time on the closing date in order to be considered.


The deadline for filing an application will not be extended due to any unavailability of the District's Online Employment Center. The District will not be liable for the Online Employment Center being unavailable for any period of time, and it is the sole responsibility of the applicant to ensure that the application form is completed and submitted in a timely manner. Therefore, it is recommended that applications be submitted early in the filing period.


It is the responsibility of the applicant to ensure that the application form is completed and submitted in a timely manner by the method described above.

Prospective employees will be required to provide a picture ID and social security card at the basic skills written test. Falsification of a material statement in an application may constitute grounds for rejection of the application, exclusion from the examination, removal from the eligible list, or discharge of an employee from his or her position in the Classified Service.


Residency Requirement: There is no residency requirement to participate in the examination; however, all District employees must be domiciled within the boundaries of the District within six months of successful completion of probation. (The District is in Cook County, Illinois, covering approximately 90% of the county area.)


Probationary Period: The probationary period for this classification is one year (250 days worked).


Hiring and Employment Objectives: The Metropolitan Water Reclamation District of Greater Chicago is committed to hiring and employment practices that base employee selection on a candidate's knowledge, skill and ability to perform effectively on the job; provide equal employment opportunity to all applicants; prohibit the entry of political reasons or factors and other improper considerations into any stage of the selection and hiring processes; and create a transparent, honest and fair hiring system.

An Equal Opportunity Employer M/F/D


Reasonable accommodation for individuals with disabilities will be made in accordance with applicable laws. Requests for testing accommodations are to be made within one week after the close of the filing period. For information regarding accommodation for individuals with disabilities, phone View phone number on click.appcast.io (voice) or View phone number on click.appcast.io (TTY).

Laborer - Examination

The Metropolitan Water Reclamation District of Greater Chicago is preparing to hire a small number of laborers over the next four years. These jobs are in Cook County at plants that treat sewage. There are no jobs in downtown Chicago. People in these jobs may work in unpleasant surroundings and are exposed to unpleasant odors.


You must show your Social Security Card and photo identification (with your birth date) at the basic skills written test. Failure to show these documents may result in disqualification from the Laborer examination process. You must be at least 18 years old by June 8, 2026, to apply.

How we will hire Laborers:

1. As previously announced, the Illinois State Lottery Pick 4 (evening) game from Sunday, May 17, 2026, was used to get the numbers for the Laborer lottery list. (The Illinois State Lottery has no interest in the way the District hires people.)


2. The winning numbers are 3144. The Fireball number may not be used to substitute a number.


3. If the last four digits of your Social Security number are between 3144 and 3644, you will have until June 8, 2026 , to file an application for Laborer.


4. Applications must be filed by the following method:


Submitted online through the District's Online Employment Center at Applications must be submitted by 11:59 p.m. Central Time on the closing date, June 8, 2026, in order to be considered.


5. All communication with applicants during the selection process will be by email. It is the applicant's responsibility to check their email for important notifications from the District during the selection process.

6. Applications from anyone whose numbers are not between 3144 and 3644 will be disqualified. You must show your photo identification (with your birth date) and Social Security Card at the basic skills written test to confirm you have the winning numbers or are with the range of the winning numbers plus 500. Failure to show these documents may result in disqualification from the Laborer examination process.


7. Candidates must be able to read and understand simple instructions at approximately the sixth-grade level and be at least 18 years old by June 8, 2026.

8. In the event that more than one applicant has the same last four digits of their social security number, ties will be broken by the date and time of application submission.


9. A short list of candidates, based on their rank in the lottery, will be asked to take a basic skills written test which is tentatively scheduled for Saturday, August 8, 2026. Candidates will receive more information about the basic skills written test if they are placed on the lottery list and are within the selected range.


10. A short list of candidates who pass the basic skills written test, based on their rank in the lottery, will be interviewed. Interviews are tentatively scheduled for September 2026.


11. Candidates who pass the interview will be eligible for hire as a Laborer. Appointments will be made from the rank ordered eligible list. The eligible list has a duration of four years.


12. If you are offered a job, you will take a physical exam, including a drug test, criminal history background investigation and an evaluation of your ability to meet the specific physical demands of the job.

13. If you are hired, you will have a one-year probation period (250 days worked).


14. If you are hired, you must have a valid Illinois driver's license within six months of the date of appointment.


15. If you are hired, you must live in the boundaries of the District within six months of completing probation. (The District covers about 90% of Cook County.)