104TH GENERAL ASSEMBLY
State of Illinois
2025 and 2026
SB2339

 

Introduced 2/7/2025, by Sen. Javier L. Cervantes

 

SYNOPSIS AS INTRODUCED:
 
820 ILCS 55/12
820 ILCS 55/13
820 ILCS 55/15  from Ch. 48, par. 2865
820 ILCS 55/16 new
820 ILCS 55/17 new
820 ILCS 55/18 new
820 ILCS 55/19 new
820 ILCS 55/20  from Ch. 48, par. 2870

    Amends the Right to Privacy in the Workplace Act. Provides that an employer enrolled in an Employment Eligibility Verification System, including the E-Verify program, shall not impose work authorization verification or re-verification requirements greater than those required by the Employment Eligibility Verification System. Provides that, if an employer receives notification from any federal agency or other outside third party not responsible for the enforcement of immigration law of a discrepancy as it relates to an employee's individual taxpayer identification number or other identifying documents, guarantees specified rights and protections to the employee. Makes changes in provisions concerning the administration and enforcement of the Act by the Department of Labor. Sets forth provisions concerning action for civil penalties brought by an interested party; private right of action; penalties; and review under the Administrative Review Law.


LRB104 09425 SPS 19485 b

 

 

A BILL FOR

 

SB2339LRB104 09425 SPS 19485 b

1    AN ACT concerning employment.
 
2    Be it enacted by the People of the State of Illinois,
3represented in the General Assembly:
 
4    Section 5. The Right to Privacy in the Workplace Act is
5amended by changing Sections 12, 13, and 15 and by adding
6Sections 16, 17, 18, 19 and 20 as follows:
 
7    (820 ILCS 55/12)
8    Sec. 12. Use of Employment Eligibility Verification
9Systems.
10    (a) Prior to enrolling in any Electronic Employment
11Verification System, including the E-Verify program or and the
12Basic Pilot program, as authorized by 8 U.S.C. 1324a, Notes,
13Pilot Programs for Employment Eligibility Confirmation
14(enacted by P.L. 104-208, div. C, title IV, subtitle A),
15employers are urged to consult the Illinois Department of
16Labor's website for current information on the accuracy of the
17E-Verify program and to review and understand an employer's
18legal responsibilities relating to the use of the E-Verify
19program. Nothing in this Act shall be construed to require an
20employer to enroll in any Electronic Employment Verification
21System, including the E-Verify program and the Basic Pilot
22program, as authorized by 8 U.S.C. 1324a, Notes, Pilot
23Programs for Employment Eligibility Confirmation (enacted by

 

 

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1P.L. 104-208, div. C, title IV, subtitle A) beyond those
2obligations that have been imposed upon them by federal law.
3Nothing in this Act shall be construed to prohibit an employer
4from enrolling in any Electronic Employment Verification
5System, including the E-Verify program, as required or
6permitted by federal law.
7    (a-1) The Illinois Department of Labor (IDOL) shall post
8on its website information or links to information from the
9United States Government Accountability Office, Westat, or a
10similar reliable source independent of the Department of
11Homeland Security regarding: (1) the accuracy of the E-Verify
12databases; (2) the approximate financial burden and
13expenditure of time that use of E-Verify requires from
14employers; and (3) an overview of an employer's
15responsibilities under federal and state law relating to the
16use of E-Verify.
17    (b) Upon initial enrollment in an Employment Eligibility
18Verification System or within 30 days after the effective date
19of this amendatory Act of the 96th General Assembly, an
20employer enrolled in E-Verify or any other Employment
21Eligibility Verification System must attest, under penalty of
22perjury, on a form prescribed by the IDOL available on the IDOL
23website:
24        (1) that the employer has received the Basic Pilot or
25    E-Verify training materials from the Department of
26    Homeland Security (DHS), and that all employees who will

 

 

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1    administer the program have completed the Basic Pilot or
2    E-Verify Computer Based Tutorial (CBT); and
3        (2) that the employer has posted the notice from DHS
4    indicating that the employer is enrolled in the Basic
5    Pilot or E-Verify program and the anti-discrimination
6    notice issued by the Office of Special Counsel for
7    Immigration-Related Unfair Employment Practices (OSC),
8    Civil Rights Division, U.S. Department of Justice in a
9    prominent place that is clearly visible to both
10    prospective and current employees. The employer must
11    maintain the signed original of the attestation form
12    prescribed by the IDOL, as well as all CBT certificates of
13    completion and make them available for inspection or
14    copying by the IDOL at any reasonable time.
15    (c) It is a violation of this Act for an employer enrolled
16in an Employment Eligibility Verification System, including
17the E-Verify program and the Basic Pilot program:
18        (1) to fail to display the notices supplied by DHS and
19    OSC in a prominent place that is clearly visible to both
20    prospective and current employees;
21        (2) to allow any employee to use an Employment
22    Eligibility Verification System prior to having completed
23    CBT;
24        (3) to fail to take reasonable steps to prevent an
25    employee from circumventing the requirement to complete
26    the CBT by assuming another employee's E-Verify or Basic

 

 

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1    Pilot user identification or password;
2        (4) to use the Employment Eligibility Verification
3    System to verify the employment eligibility of job
4    applicants prior to hiring or to otherwise use the
5    Employment Eligibility Verification System to screen
6    individuals prior to hiring and prior to the completion of
7    a Form I-9;
8        (5) to terminate an employee or take any other adverse
9    employment action against an individual prior to receiving
10    a final nonconfirmation notice from the Social Security
11    Administration or the Department of Homeland Security;
12        (6) to fail to notify an individual, in writing, of
13    the employer's receipt of a tentative nonconfirmation
14    notice, of the individual's right to contest the tentative
15    nonconfirmation notice, and of the contact information for
16    the relevant government agency or agencies that the
17    individual must contact to resolve the tentative
18    nonconfirmation notice;
19        (7) to fail to safeguard the information contained in
20    the Employment Eligibility Verification System, and the
21    means of access to the system (such as passwords and other
22    privacy protections). An employer shall ensure that the
23    System is not used for any purpose other than employment
24    verification of newly hired employees and shall ensure
25    that the information contained in the System and the means
26    of access to the System are not disseminated to any person

 

 

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1    other than employees who need such information and access
2    to perform the employer's employment verification
3    responsibilities.
4    (c-1) Any claim that an employer refused to hire,
5segregated, or acted with respect to recruitment, hiring,
6promotion, renewal or employment, selection for training or
7apprenticeship, discharge, discipline, tenure or terms,
8privileges, or conditions of employment without following the
9procedures of the Employment Eligibility Verification System,
10including the Basic Pilot and the E-Verify program programs,
11may be brought under paragraph (G)(2) of Section 2-102 of the
12Illinois Human Rights Act.
13    (c-2) It is a violation of this Section for an individual
14to falsely pose as an employer in order to enroll in an
15Employment Eligibility Verification System or for an employer
16to use an Employment Eligibility Verification System to access
17information regarding an individual who is not an employee of
18the employer.
19    (d) Preemption. Neither the State nor any of its political
20subdivisions, nor any unit of local government, including a
21home rule unit, may require any employer to use an Employment
22Eligibility Verification System, including under the following
23circumstances:
24        (1) as a condition of receiving a government contract;
25        (2) as a condition of receiving a business license; or
26        (3) as penalty for violating licensing or other

 

 

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1    similar laws.
2    This subsection (d) is a denial and limitation of home
3rule powers and functions under subsection (h) of Section 6 of
4Article VII of the Illinois Constitution.
5(Source: P.A. 103-879, eff. 1-1-25.)
 
6    (820 ILCS 55/13)
7    Sec. 13. Restrictions on the use of Employment Eligibility
8Verification Systems.
9    (a) As used in this Section:
10    "Employee's authorized representative" means an exclusive
11collective bargaining representative, an attorney or, upon
12written notification to the employer, any other representative
13authorized by the employee.
14    "Inspecting entity" means the U.S. Immigration and Customs
15Enforcement, United States Customs and Border Protection, or
16any other federal entity enforcing civil immigration
17violations of an employer's I-9 Employment Eligibility
18Verification forms.
19    (b) An employer shall not impose work authorization
20verification or re-verification requirements greater than
21those required by federal law or, if enrolled in an Employment
22Eligibility Verification System, including the E-Verify
23program, shall not impose work authorization verification or
24re-verification requirements greater than those required by
25the Employment Eligibility Verification System, including the

 

 

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1E-Verify program.
2    (c) If an employer contends that there is a discrepancy in
3an employee's employment verification information, the
4employer must provide the employee with:
5        (1) The specific document or documents, if made
6    available to the employer, that the employer deems to be
7    deficient and the reason why the document or documents are
8    deficient. Upon request by the employee or the employee's
9    authorized representative, the employer shall give to the
10    employee the original document forming the basis for the
11    employer's contention of deficiency within 7 business
12    days.
13        (2) Instructions on how the employee can correct the
14    alleged deficient documents if required to do so by law.
15        (3) An explanation of the employee's right to have
16    representation present during related meetings,
17    discussions, or proceedings with the employer. If the
18    alleged discrepancy is based on information obtained
19    through the employer's participation in the E-Verify
20    program, the right to representation shall apply unless
21    not , if allowed by a memorandum of understanding
22    concerning the federal E-Verify system.
23        (4) An explanation of any other rights that the
24    employee may have in connection with the employer's
25    contention.
26    (d) If When an employer receives notification from an

 

 

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1inspecting entity any federal or State agency, including, but
2not limited to, the Social Security Administration or the
3Internal Revenue Service, of a discrepancy as it relates to
4work authorization, the following rights and protections are
5granted to the employee:
6        (1) The employer must not take any adverse action
7    against the employee, including re-verification, based on
8    the receipt of the notification.
9        (2) The employer must provide a notice to the employee
10    unless not and, if allowed by a memorandum of
11    understanding concerning the federal E-Verify system, to
12    the employee or the employee's authorized representative,
13    if any, as soon as practicable, but not more than 5
14    business days after the date of receipt of the
15    notification, unless a shorter timeline is provided for
16    under federal law or a collective bargaining agreement.
17    The notice to the employee shall include, but not be
18    limited to: (i) an explanation that the inspecting entity
19    federal or State agency has notified the employer that the
20    employee's work authorization documents presented by the
21    employee do not appear to be valid or reasonably relate to
22    the employee; and (ii) the time period the employee has to
23    contest the inspecting entity's federal or State agency's
24    determination, if any time period is required by federal
25    law. The employer shall notify the employee in person and
26    deliver the notification by hand, if possible. If hand

 

 

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1    delivery is not possible, then the employer shall notify
2    the employee by mail and email, if the email address of the
3    employee is known, and shall notify the employee's
4    authorized representative. Upon request by the employee or
5    the employee's authorized representative, the employer
6    shall give to the employee the original notice from the
7    inspecting entity federal or State agency, including, but
8    not limited to, the Social Security Administration or the
9    Internal Revenue Service, within 7 business days. This
10    original notice shall be redacted in compliance with State
11    and federal privacy laws and shall relate only to the
12    employee receiving the notification.
13        (3) The employee may have a representative of the
14    employee's choosing in any meetings, discussions, or
15    proceedings with the employer.
16     The procedures described in this subsection do not apply
17to inspections of an employer's I-9 Employment Verification
18Forms by an inspecting entity or any relevant procedure
19otherwise described in subsection (g).
20    (d-1) If an employer receives notification from any
21federal agency or other outside third party not responsible
22for the enforcement of immigration law, including, but not
23limited to, the Social Security Administration, the Internal
24Revenue Service, or an insurance company, of a discrepancy as
25it relates to an employee's individual taxpayer identification
26number or other identifying documents, the following rights

 

 

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1and protections are granted to the employee:
2        (1) The employer shall not take any adverse action
3    against the employee, including re-verification, based on
4    the receipt of the notification.
5        (2) The employer shall provide a notice to the
6    employee and to the employee's authorized representative,
7    if any, as soon as practicable, but not more than 5
8    business days after the date of receipt of the
9    notification, unless a shorter timeline is provided for
10    under federal law or a collective bargaining agreement.
11    The notice to the employee shall include, but not be
12    limited to: (A) an explanation that the federal agency or
13    outside third party has notified the employer that the
14    identification documents presented by the employee do not
15    appear to match; and () the time period the employee has to
16    contest the disputed information, if any such time period
17    is required by federal law.
18        (3) The employee may have a representative of the
19    employee's choosing in any meetings, discussions, or
20    proceedings with the employer.
21    (e) Except as otherwise required by federal law, an
22employer shall provide a notice to each current employee, by
23posting in English and in any language commonly used in the
24workplace, of any inspections of I-9 Employment Eligibility
25Verification forms or other employment records conducted by
26the inspecting entity within 72 hours after receiving notice

 

 

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1of the inspection. Written notice shall also be given within
272 hours to the employee's authorized representative, if any.
3The posted notice shall contain the following information:
4        (1) the name of the entity conducting the inspections
5    of I-9 Employment Eligibility Verification forms or other
6    employment records;
7        (2) the date that the employer received notice of the
8    inspection;
9        (3) the nature of the inspection to the extent known
10    by the employer; and
11        (4) a copy of the notice received by the employer.
12    An employer, upon reasonable request, shall provide an
13employee a copy of the Notice of Inspection of I-9 Employment
14Eligibility Verification forms.
15    (f) On or before 6 months after the effective date of this
16amendatory Act of the 103rd General Assembly, the Department
17shall develop a template posting that employers may use to
18comply with the requirements of subsection (e) to inform
19employees of a notice of inspection to be conducted of I-9
20Employment Eligibility Verification forms or other employment
21records conducted by the inspecting entity. The Department
22shall make the template available on its website so that it is
23accessible to any employer.
24    (g) Except as otherwise required by federal law, if during
25an inspection of the employer's I-9 Employment Eligibility
26Verification forms by an inspecting entity, the inspecting

 

 

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1entity makes a determination that the employee's work
2authorization documents do not establish that the employee is
3authorized to work in the United States and provide the
4employer with notice of that determination, the employer shall
5provide a written notice as set forth in this subsection to the
6employee within 5 business days, unless a shorter timeline is
7provided for under federal law or a collective bargaining
8agreement. The employer's notice to the employee shall relate
9to the employee only. The employer shall notify the employee
10in person and deliver the notification by hand, if possible.
11If hand delivery is not possible, then the employer shall
12notify the employee by mail and email, if the email address of
13the employee is known, and shall notify the employee's
14authorized representative. The employer's notice to the
15employee shall contain the following information:
16        (1) an explanation that the inspecting entity has
17    determined that the employee's work authorization
18    documents presented by the employee do not appear to be
19    valid or reasonably relate to the employee;
20        (2) the time period for the employee to notify the
21    employer whether the employee is contesting or not
22    contesting the determination by the inspecting entity, if
23    any time period is required by federal law;
24        (3) if known by the employer, the time and date of any
25    meeting with the employer and employee or with the
26    inspecting entity and employee related to the correction

 

 

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1    of the inspecting entity's determination that the
2    employee's work authorization documents presented by the
3    employee do not appear to be valid or reasonably relate to
4    the employee; and
5        (4) notice that the employee has the right to
6    representation during any meeting scheduled with the
7    employer and the inspecting entity.
8    If the employee contests the inspecting entity's
9determination, the employer will notify the employee within 72
10hours after receipt of any final determination by the
11inspecting entity related to the employee's work authorization
12status. Upon request by the employee or the employee's
13authorized representative, the employer shall give the
14employee the original notice from the inspecting entity within
157 business days. This original notice shall be redacted in
16compliance with State and federal privacy laws and shall
17relate only to the employee receiving the notification.
18    (h) This Section does not require a penalty to be imposed
19upon an employer or person who fails to provide notice to an
20employee at the express and specific direction or request of
21the federal government. In determining the amount of the
22penalty, the appropriateness of the penalty to the size of the
23business of the employer charged and the gravity of the
24violation shall be considered. The penalty may be recovered in
25a civil action brought by the Director in any circuit court.
26Upon request by the employee or the employee's authorized

 

 

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1representative, the employer shall give the employee the
2original notice from the inspecting entity within 7 business
3days.
4    (i) This Section applies to public and private employers.
5    (j) Nothing in this Section shall be interpreted,
6construed, or applied to restrict or limit an employer's
7compliance with a memorandum of understanding concerning the
8use of the federal E-Verify system.
9(Source: P.A. 103-879, eff. 1-1-25.)
 
10    (820 ILCS 55/15)  (from Ch. 48, par. 2865)
11    Sec. 15. Administration and enforcement by the Department.
12    (a) It shall be the duty of the Department to enforce the
13provisions of this Act when, in the Department's judgment,
14there is cause and sufficient resources for investigation. The
15Department shall have the power to conduct investigations in
16connection with the administration and enforcement of this Act
17and any investigator with the Department shall be authorized
18to visit and inspect, at all reasonable times, any places
19covered by this Act and shall be authorized to inspect, at all
20reasonable times, records of the employer or prospective
21employer related to its employees or prospective employees and
22related to its participation in and compliance with the
23E-Verify program. The Department shall have the authority to
24request the issuance of a search warrant or subpoena to
25inspect the files of the employer or prospective employer, if

 

 

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1necessary. The Department shall conduct hearings in accordance
2with the Illinois Administrative Procedure Act upon written
3complaint by an investigator of the Department. After the
4hearing, if supported by the evidence, the Department may (i)
5issue and cause to be served on any party an order to cease and
6desist from further violation of the Act, (ii) take
7affirmative or other action as deemed reasonable to eliminate
8the effect of the violation, and (iii) determine the amount of
9any civil penalty allowed by the Act. The Director of Labor or
10his or her representative may compel, by subpoena, the
11attendance and testimony of witnesses and the production of
12books, payrolls, records, papers, and other evidence in any
13investigation or hearing and may administer oaths to witnesses
14The Director of Labor or his authorized representative shall
15administer and enforce the provisions of this Act. The
16Director of Labor may issue rules and regulations necessary to
17administer and enforce the provisions of this Act.
18    (b) If an employee or applicant for employment alleges
19that he or she has been denied his or her rights under this
20Act, he or she may file a complaint with the Department of
21Labor. The Department shall investigate the complaint pursuant
22to its authority under subsection (a) and shall have authority
23to request the issuance of a search warrant or subpoena to
24inspect the files of the employer or prospective employer, if
25necessary. The Department shall attempt to resolve the
26complaint by conference, conciliation, or persuasion. If the

 

 

SB2339- 16 -LRB104 09425 SPS 19485 b

1complaint is not so resolved and the Department finds the
2employer or prospective employer has violated the Act, the
3Department may commence an action in the circuit court to
4enforce the provisions of this Act including an action to
5compel compliance. The circuit court for the county in which
6the complainant resides or in which the complainant is
7employed shall have jurisdiction in such actions.
8    (c) (Blank). If an employer or prospective employer
9violates this Act, an employee or applicant for employment may
10commence an action in the circuit court to enforce the
11provisions of this Act, including actions to compel
12compliance, where efforts to resolve the employee's or
13applicant for employment's complaint concerning the violation
14by conference, conciliation or persuasion under subsection (b)
15have failed and the Department has not commenced an action in
16circuit court to redress the violation. The circuit court for
17the county in which the complainant resides or in which the
18complainant is employed shall have jurisdiction in such
19actions.
20    (d) (Blank). Failure to comply with an order of the court
21may be punished as contempt. In addition, the court shall
22award an employee or applicant for employment prevailing in an
23action under this Act the following damages:
24        (1) Actual damages plus costs.
25        (2) For a willful and knowing violation of this Act,
26    $200 plus costs, reasonable attorney's fees, and actual

 

 

SB2339- 17 -LRB104 09425 SPS 19485 b

1    damages.
2        (3) For a willful and knowing violation of Section
3    12(c) or Section 12(c-2) of this Act, $500 per affected
4    employee plus costs, reasonable attorney's fees, and
5    actual damages.
6        (4) For a willful and knowing violation of Section 13,
7    a civil penalty of a minimum of $2,000 up to a maximum of
8    $5,000 for a first violation and a civil penalty of a
9    minimum of $5,000 up to a maximum of $10,000 for each
10    subsequent violation per affected employee plus costs,
11    reasonable attorney's fees, and actual damages.
12    (e) Any employer or prospective employer or his agent who
13violates the provisions of this Act is guilty of a petty
14offense.
15    (f) Any employer or prospective employer, or the officer
16or agent of any employer or prospective employer, who
17discharges or in any other manner discriminates against any
18employee or applicant for employment because that employee or
19applicant for employment has made a complaint to his employer,
20or to the Director of Labor or his authorized representative,
21or because that employee or applicant for employment has
22caused to be instituted or is about to cause to be instituted
23any proceeding under or related to this Act, or because that
24employee or applicant for employment has testified or is about
25to testify in an investigation or proceeding under this Act,
26is guilty of a petty offense.

 

 

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1(Source: P.A. 103-879, eff. 1-1-25.)
 
2    (820 ILCS 55/16 new)
3    Sec. 16. Action for civil penalties brought by an
4interested party.
5    (a) Upon a reasonable belief that an employer or
6prospective employer covered by this Act is in violation of
7any part of this Act, an interested party may initiate a civil
8action in the county where the alleged offenses occurred or
9where any party to the action resides, asserting that a
10violation of the Act has occurred, pursuant to the following
11sequence of events:
12        (1) The interested party submits to the Department of
13    Labor a complaint describing the violation and employer or
14    prospective employer alleged to have violated this Act.
15        (2) The Department sends notice of complaint to the
16    named parties alleged to have violated this Act and the
17    interested party. The named parties may either contest the
18    alleged violation or attempt to cure the alleged
19    violation.
20        (3) The named parties contest or cure the alleged
21    violation within 30 days after the receipt of the notice
22    of complaint or, if the named party does not respond
23    within 30 days, the Department issues a notice of right to
24    sue to the interested party as described in paragraph (4).
25        (4) The Department issues a notice of right to sue to

 

 

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1    the interested party, if one or more of the following has
2    occurred:
3            (i) the named party has cured the alleged
4        violation to the satisfaction of the Director;
5            (ii) the Director has determined that the
6        allegation is unjustified or that the Department does
7        not have jurisdiction over the matter or the parties;
8        or
9            (iii) the Director has determined that the
10        allegation is justified or has not made a
11        determination, and either has decided not to exercise
12        jurisdiction over the matter or has concluded
13        administrative enforcement of the matter.
14    (b) If within 180 days after service of the notice of
15complaint to the parties, the Department has not (i) resolved
16the contest and cure period, (ii) with the mutual agreement of
17the parties, extended the time for the named party to cure the
18violation and resolve the complaint, or (iii) issued a right
19to sue letter, the interested party may initiate a civil
20action for penalties. The parties may extend the 180-day
21period by mutual agreement. The limitations period for the
22interested party to bring an action for the alleged violation
23of the Act shall be tolled for the 180-day period and for the
24period of any mutually agreed extensions. At the end of the
25180-day period, or any mutually agreed extensions, the
26Department shall issue a right to sue letter to the interested

 

 

SB2339- 20 -LRB104 09425 SPS 19485 b

1party.
2    (c) Upon receipt of a right to sue letter from the
3Department, an interested party may bring a civil action in
4the county where the alleged offenses occurred or where any
5party to the action resides, in the name of the State and for
6the benefit of any impacted day or temporary laborers.
7        (1) No later than 30 days after filing an action, the
8    interested party shall serve upon the State through the
9    Attorney General a copy of the complaint and written
10    disclosure of substantially all material evidence and
11    information the interested party possesses.
12        (2) The State may elect to intervene and proceed with
13    the action no later than 60 days after it receives both the
14    complaint and the material evidence and information. The
15    State may, for good cause shown, move the court for an
16    extension of the time to intervene and proceed with the
17    action.
18        (3) Before the expiration of the     60-day period or any
19    extensions under subparagraph (2), the State shall:
20            (i) proceed with the action, in which case the
21        action shall be conducted by the State; or
22            (ii) notify the court that it declines to take the
23        action, in which case the interested party bringing
24        the action shall have the right to conduct the action.
25        (4) When the State conducts the action, the interested
26    party shall have the right to continue as a party to the

 

 

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1    action subject to the following limitations:
2            (i) the State may dismiss the action
3        notwithstanding the objections of the interested party
4        initiating the action if the interested party has been
5        notified by the State of the filing of the motion and
6        the court has provided the interested party with an
7        opportunity for a hearing on the motion; and
8            (ii) the State may settle the action with the
9        defendant notwithstanding the objections of the person
10        initiating the action if the court determines, after a
11        hearing, that the proposed settlement is fair,
12        adequate, and reasonable under all the circumstances.
13        (5) If an interested party brings an action under this
14    Section, no person other than the State may intervene or
15    bring a related action on behalf of the State based on the
16    facts underlying the pending action.
17        (6) An action brought in court by an interested party
18    under this Section may be dismissed if the court and the
19    Attorney General give written consent to the dismissal and
20    their reasons for consenting.
21    (d) Any claim or action filed by an interested party under
22this Section shall be made no later 3 years after the alleged
23conduct resulting in the complaint, plus any period for which
24the limitations period has been tolled.
25    (e) In an action brought by an interested party under this
26Section, an interested party may recover against the covered

 

 

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1entity any statutory penalties set forth in Section 17,
2injunctive relief, and any other relief available to the
3Department. An interested party who prevails in a civil action
4shall receive 10% of any statutory penalties assessed, plus
5any attorney's fees and costs. The remaining 90% of any
6statutory penalties assessed shall be deposited into a special
7fund of the Department for enforcement of this Act.
 
8    (820 ILCS 55/17 new)
9    Sec. 17. Private right of action.
10    (a) A person aggrieved by a violation of this Act or any
11rule adopted under this Act by an employer or prospective
12employer may file suit in circuit court of Illinois, in the
13county where the alleged offense occurred, where the employee
14or prospective employee who is party to the action resides or
15where the employer or prospective employer which is party to
16the action is located, without regard to exhaustion of any
17alternative administrative remedies provided in this Act.
18Actions may be brought by one or more day or affected employees
19or prospective employees for and on behalf of themselves and
20employees or prospective employees similarly situated. An
21employee or prospective employee may recover for a violation
22of the Act under this Section or under Section 15 or 16 at the
23employee or prospective employee's option, but not under more
24than one Section. An employee or prospective employee whose
25rights have been violated under this Act by an employer or

 

 

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1prospective employer is entitled to collect under this
2Section:
3        (1) in the case of a violation of this Act or any rule
4    adopted under this Act as it relates to the employee or
5    prospective employee, a civil penalty of not less than
6    $100 and not more than $1,000 for each violation found by a
7    court;
8        (2) in the event a violation of this Act or any rule
9    adopted under this Act as it relates to denial or loss of
10    employment for the employee or prospective employee, all
11    relief necessary to make the employee whole, including,
12    but not limited to the following:
13            (i) reinstatement with the same seniority status
14        that the employee would have had, but for the
15        violation, as appropriate;
16            (ii) back pay, with interest, as appropriate; and
17            (iii) a civil penalty of $10,000; and
18        (3) compensation for any damages sustained as a result
19    of the violation, including litigation costs, expert
20    witness fees, and reasonable attorney's fees.
21    (b) The right of an aggrieved person to bring an action
22under this Section terminates upon the passing of 3 years
23after the date of the violation. This limitations period is
24tolled if an employer or prospective employer has failed to
25provide an employee or prospective employer information
26required under this Act or has deterred an employee or

 

 

SB2339- 24 -LRB104 09425 SPS 19485 b

1prospective employee from the exercise of rights under this
2Act.
 
3    (820 ILCS 55/18 new)
4    Sec. 18. Penalties.
5    (a) An employer or prospective employer that violates any
6of the provisions of this Act or any rule adopted under this
7Act shall be subject to a civil penalty of not less than $100
8and not more than $1,000 for each violation of his Act found by
9the Department or determined by a court in a civil action
10brought by the Department or by an interested party, or
11determined by a court in a civil action brought by the Attorney
12General pursuant to its authority under Section 6.3 of the
13Attorney General Act. An employer or prospective employer that
14commits a subsequent violation of the same provisions or this
15Act or any rule adopted under this Act within a 3-year period
16shall be subject to a civil penalty of not less than $1,000 and
17not more than $5,000 for each violation of his Act found by the
18Department or determined by a court in a civil action brought
19by the Department or by an interested party, or determined by a
20court in a civil action brought by the Attorney General
21pursuant to its authority under Section 6.3 of the Attorney
22General Act. For purposes of this subsection, each violation
23of this Act or any rule adopted under this Act shall constitute
24a separate and distinct violation.
25    (b) In determining the amount of a penalty, the Director

 

 

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1or circuit court shall consider the appropriateness of the
2penalty to the size of the business of the employer charged and
3the gravity of the violation shall be considered.
4    (c) The Department shall adopt rules for violation
5hearings and penalties for violations of this Act or the
6Department's rules in conjunction with the penalties set forth
7in this Act. Any administrative determination by the
8Department as to the amount of each penalty shall be final
9unless reviewed as provided in Section 17 of this Act.
 
10    (820 ILCS 55/19 new)
11    Sec. 19. Review under the Administrative Review Law. Any
12party to a proceeding under this Act may apply for and obtain
13judicial review of an order of the Department entered under
14this Act in accordance with the provisions of the
15Administrative Review Law and the Department in proceedings
16under this Act may obtain an order from the court for the
17enforcement of its order.
 
18    (820 ILCS 55/20)  (from Ch. 48, par. 2870)
19    Sec. 20. Dismissal of complaint. The Director or any court
20of competent jurisdiction shall summarily dismiss any
21complaint alleging a violation of Section 5 of this Act which
22states as the sole cause of the complaint that the employer
23offered a health, disability, or life insurance policy that
24makes a distinction between employees for the type of coverage

 

 

SB2339- 26 -LRB104 09425 SPS 19485 b

1or the price of coverage based upon the employees' use of
2lawful products.
3(Source: P.A. 87-807.)