A report has stated that Eduardo Alvarado—the head of the Illinois Department of Public Health's HIV/AIDS program—resigned in May after it was recommended he be fired for violating the agency's sexual-harassment policy and verbally abusing staff, The Chicago Tribune noted.

An investigation the Office of Executive Inspector General conducted also revealed that Alvarado falsified information on his initial application for a job with the department and on his time cards.

In one case, a program employee told investigators that Alvarado "greeted him with a kiss on the lips once or twice" in the agency's office. Alvarado, while meeting with investigators, said "that greeting people with a hug or kiss is 'normative behavior' for gay men, and is the traditional greeting in Spanish or Latino culture," according to the report.

Alvarado resigned May 22—several days after he attended a Springfield news conference at which Gov. J.B. Pritzker announced the launch of the "Getting to Zero Illinois" plan, which aims to halt the spread of HIV in the state by 2030.

The Tribune item is at Website Link Here .