CHICAGO –Mayor Lori E. Lightfoot joined Discover Financial Services today to announce plans for a new Chicago-based Discover customer care center in Chicago’s Chatham neighborhood. Located at 86th Street and Cottage Grove, the center, once fully operational, will provide nearly 1,000 full-time jobs to local residents. Most of the positions will be for customer care representatives with an hourly wage of more than $17. Full-time employees will receive Discover’s full benefits package, which includes health insurance, a 401k plan, eligibility for 20 days minimum of paid time off, a focus on career development, and the opportunity to receive a free college education effective upon the first day of employment.  

“Expanding equity and opportunity across Chicago is possible thanks to the investment and support of corporate partners like Discover,” said Mayor Lightfoot. “More than just creating new jobs, this center represents the latest step in our citywide mission to unlock the huge swaths of talent in neighborhoods like Chatham through bold initiatives such as INVEST South/West, which will strengthen both our communities and companies, and fuel Chicago’s economy for decades to come.”  

The customer care center supports Mayor Lightfoot’s INVEST South/West community improvement initiative and will offer job opportunities and economic development beyond Chatham to residents of INVEST South/West neighborhoods including Roseland, Pullman, Auburn Gresham, South Shore and South Chicago. This project also fully supports the Together We Rise for an Equitable and Just Recovery initiative to help ensure a fair and equitable recovery from the COVID-19 pandemic.   

“Discover and its employees are committed to helping people achieve brighter financial futures, which we can best achieve in Chicago by bringing jobs to the area and having direct and long-term involvement with the city,” said Roger Hochschild, CEO and President of Discover. “We fully support Mayor Lightfoot’s call to action for Chicago companies to bring quality jobs directly to communities that need them. Discover recognizes that traditional corporate site selection has contributed to issues of unequal opportunity in our society, and we want to be part of the solution. We hope our commitment to Chatham will serve as a springboard for further economic development in the area; and we’re excited to work with residents and community leaders and add to our award-winning customer service team.” 

The 100,000+ square-foot customer care center will offer secured parking with more than 500 parking spots and is conveniently located within a short distance from the 87th St. Red Line Stop, Metra’s 87th St. Station, and major bus routes. The facility will also offer 5,000 square feet of internal/external space to be used for large group gatherings, training and conference rooms that Discover will make available to community-based organizations, and hosting community service events. Discover also plans to seek community input on utilization of the space. 

“Discover’s commitment to Chatham, and the hundreds it will employ from it and the neighboring communities, is an important example of the type of transformative, inclusive investment that can create jobs and opportunities for all Chicagoans,” said Michael Fassnacht, Interim President & CEO of World Business Chicago. 

Discover will soon be posting leadership job opportunities, followed by customer service agent job opportunities in April, with plans to hire a first class of agents to start in June. These positions will be housed at the Chatham facility in a temporary space until the full facility is open by the end of 2021. While the intent is to have employees in the center start off working in-person, Discover is prepared to offer a work from home option if necessary and have processes in place should the COVID-19 pandemic continue to threaten the health and safety of employees. The plan is to hire and train more than 100 call agents this year, and eventually fill nearly 1,000 positions over the next four years. Individuals and organizations wanting to learn more about Discover and job opportunities at their new Chatham facility can visit www.discover.com/shinebright. 

"This customer care center will serve as a catalyst for the Chatham neighborhood, which has always been brimming with untapped potential," said 6^th Ward Alderman Roderick Sawyer. "Thanks to partnerships with private-sector entities such as Discover, as well as initiatives INVEST South/West, our residents will finally have access to high-quality, good-paying and sustainable jobs and other economic resources they deserve—putting them on the fast track toward obtaining upward mobility."  

“Chatham is excited to welcome the new Discover Customer Care Center,” said 8^th Ward Alderman Michelle Harris. “With partners like Discover, we will have the chance to build new wealth, investments and opportunities.” 

INVEST South/West is Mayor Lightfoot’s $750 million-dollar strategy to revitalize the commercial corridors of 10 undeserved community areas on the South and West Sides. To date, the initiative has invested more than $70 million in public resources into these corridors and mobilized more than $300 million in private and philanthropic commitments. For more details and to learn more about INVEST South/West initiative, visit https://www.chicago.gov/city/en/sites/invest_sw/home.html  

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