5 ILCS 340/ Voluntary Payroll Deductions Act of 1983.

(5 ILCS 340/1) (from Ch. 15, par. 501)

Sec. 1. This Act shall be known and may be cited as the "Voluntary Payroll Deductions Act of 1983".

(Source: P.A. 83-843.)

(5 ILCS 340/2) (from Ch. 15, par. 502)

Sec. 2. Public policy. It is the public policy of this State and the objective of this Act to lessen the burdens of State government and of local communities in meeting needs of human health and welfare; to provide a convenient channel through which State employees and State annuitants may contribute to these efforts; to minimize or eliminate disruption of the State workplace and costs to State taxpayers that such fund-raising may entail; to serve needs of human health and welfare; and to ensure that recipient organizations are responsible in the uses of the moneys so raised.

(Source: P.A. 90-487, eff. 8-17-97; 91-896, eff. 7-6-00.)

(5 ILCS 340/3) (from Ch. 15, par. 503)

Sec. 3. Definitions. As used in this Act unless the context otherwise requires:

(a) "Employee" means any regular officer or employee who receives salary or wages for personal services rendered to the State of Illinois, and includes an individual hired as an employee by contract with that individual.

(b) "Qualified organization" means an organization representing one or more benefiting agencies, which organization is designated by the State Comptroller as qualified to receive payroll deductions under this Act. An organization desiring to be designated as a qualified organization shall:

(1) Submit written or electronic designations on forms approved by the State Comptroller by 500 or more employees or State annuitants, in which such employees or State annuitants indicate that the organization is one for which the employee or State annuitant intends to authorize withholding. The forms shall require the name, last 4 digits only of the social security number, and employing State agency for each employee. Upon notification by the Comptroller that such forms have been approved, the organization shall, within 30 days, notify in writing the Comptroller or his or her designee of its intention to obtain the required number of designations. Such organization shall have 12 months from that date to obtain the necessary designations and return to the State Comptroller's office the completed designations, which shall be subject to verification procedures established by the State Comptroller;

(2) Certify that all benefiting agencies are tax exempt under Section 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code;

(3) Certify that all benefiting agencies are in compliance with the Illinois Human Rights Act;

(4) Certify that all benefiting agencies are in compliance with the Charitable Trust Act and the Solicitation for Charity Act;

(5) Certify that all benefiting agencies actively conduct health or welfare programs and provide services to individuals directed at one or more of the following common human needs within a community: service, research, and education in the health fields; family and child care services; protective services for children and adults; services for children and adults in foster care; services related to the management and maintenance of the home; day care services for adults; transportation services; information, referral and counseling services; services to eliminate illiteracy; the preparation and delivery of meals; adoption services; emergency shelter care and relief services; disaster relief services; safety services; neighborhood and community organization services; recreation services; social adjustment and rehabilitation services; health support services; or a combination of such services designed to meet the special needs of specific groups, such as children and youth, the ill and infirm, and persons with physical disabilities; and that all such benefiting agencies provide the above described services to individuals and their families in the community and surrounding area in which the organization conducts its fund drive, or that such benefiting agencies provide relief to victims of natural disasters and other emergencies on a where and as needed basis;

(6) Certify that the organization has disclosed the percentage of the organization's total collected receipts from employees or State annuitants that are distributed to the benefiting agencies and the percentage of the organization's total collected receipts from employees or State annuitants that are expended for fund-raising and overhead costs. These percentages shall be the same percentage figures annually disclosed by the organization to the Attorney General. The disclosure shall be made to all solicited employees and State annuitants and shall be in the form of a factual statement on all petitions and in the campaign's brochures for employees and State annuitants;

(7) Certify that all benefiting agencies receiving funds which the employee or State annuitant has requested or designated for distribution to a particular community and surrounding area use a majority of such funds distributed for services in the actual provision of services in that community and surrounding area;

(8) Certify that neither it nor its member organizations will solicit State employees for contributions at their workplace, except pursuant to this Act and the rules promulgated thereunder. Each qualified organization, and each participating United Fund, is encouraged to cooperate with all others and with all State agencies and educational institutions so as to simplify procedures, to resolve differences and to minimize costs;

(9) Certify that it will pay its share of the campaign costs and will comply with the Code of Campaign Conduct as approved by the Comptroller or other agency as designated by the Comptroller; and

(10) Certify that it maintains a year-round office, the telephone number, and person responsible for the operations of the organization in Illinois. That information shall be provided to the State Comptroller at the time the organization is seeking participation under this Act.

Each qualified organization shall submit to the State Comptroller between January 1 and March 1 of each year, a statement that the organization is in compliance with all of the requirements set forth in paragraphs (2) through (10). The State Comptroller shall exclude any organization that fails to submit the statement from the next solicitation period.

In order to be designated as a qualified organization, the organization shall have existed at least 2 years prior to submitting the written or electronic designation forms required in paragraph (1) and shall certify to the State Comptroller that such organization has been providing services described in paragraph (5) in Illinois. If the organization seeking designation represents more than one benefiting agency, it need not have existed for 2 years but shall certify to the State Comptroller that each of its benefiting agencies has existed for at least 2 years prior to submitting the written or electronic designation forms required in paragraph (1) and that each has been providing services described in paragraph (5) in Illinois.

Organizations which have met the requirements of this Act shall be permitted to participate in the State and Universities Combined Appeal as of January 1st of the year immediately following their approval by the Comptroller.

Where the certifications described in paragraphs (2), (3), (4), (5), (6), (7), (8), (9), and (10) above are made by an organization representing more than one benefiting agency they shall be based upon the knowledge and belief of such qualified organization. Any qualified organization shall immediately notify the State Comptroller in writing if the qualified organization receives information or otherwise believes that a benefiting agency is no longer in compliance with the certification of the qualified organization. A qualified organization representing more than one benefiting agency shall thereafter withhold and refrain from distributing to such benefiting agency those funds received pursuant to this Act until the benefiting agency is again in compliance with the qualified organization's certification. The qualified organization shall immediately notify the State Comptroller of the benefiting agency's resumed compliance with the certification, based upon the qualified organization's knowledge and belief, and shall pay over to the benefiting agency those funds previously withheld.

In order to qualify, a qualified organization must receive 250 deduction pledges from the immediately preceding solicitation period as set forth in Section 6. The Comptroller shall, by February 1st of each year, so notify any qualified organization that failed to receive the minimum deduction requirement. The notification shall give such qualified organization until March 1st to provide the Comptroller with documentation that the minimum deduction requirement has been met. On the basis of all the documentation, the Comptroller shall, by March 15th of each year, make publicly available a list of all organizations which have met the minimum payroll deduction requirement. Only those organizations which have met such requirements, as well as the other requirements of this Section, shall be permitted to solicit State employees or State annuitants for voluntary contributions, and the Comptroller shall discontinue withholding for any such organization which fails to meet these requirements, except qualified organizations that received deduction pledges during the 2004 solicitation period are deemed to be qualified for the 2005 solicitation period.

(c) "United Fund" means the organization conducting the single, annual, consolidated effort to secure funds for distribution to agencies engaged in charitable and public health, welfare and services purposes, which is commonly known as the United Fund, or the organization which serves in place of the United Fund organization in communities where an organization known as the United Fund is not organized.

In order for a United Fund to participate in the State and Universities Employees Combined Appeal, it shall comply with the provisions of paragraph (9) of subsection (b).

(d) "State and Universities Employees Combined Appeal", otherwise known as "SECA", means the State-directed joint effort of all of the qualified organizations, together with the United Funds, for the solicitation of voluntary contributions from State and University employees and State annuitants.

(e) "Retirement system" means any or all of the following: the General Assembly Retirement System, the State Employees' Retirement System of Illinois, the State Universities Retirement System, the Teachers' Retirement System of the State of Illinois, and the Judges Retirement System.

(f) "State annuitant" means a person receiving an annuity or disability benefit under Article 2, 14, 15, 16, or 18 of the Illinois Pension Code.

(Source: P.A. 102-291, eff. 8-6-21.)

(5 ILCS 340/4) (from Ch. 15, par. 504)

Sec. 4. Employee withholding. An employee may authorize the withholding of a portion of his or her salary or wages for contribution to a maximum number of 4 organizations described in paragraphs (b) and (c) of Section 3 of this Act. A department, board, body, agency or commission may direct the State Comptroller to deduct, and the University of Illinois, Southern Illinois University, Chicago State University, Eastern Illinois University, Governors State University, Illinois State University, Northeastern Illinois University, Northern Illinois University, and Western Illinois University may deduct, upon written request of a State employee, for each regular payroll period, from the salary or wages of the employee the amount specified in the written request for payment to the organization designated by the employee. The moneys so deducted shall be paid over promptly to the organizations designated by the employee by means of warrants drawn by the State Comptroller, the University of Illinois, Southern Illinois University, Chicago State University, Eastern Illinois University, Governors State University, Illinois State University, Northeastern Illinois University, Northern Illinois University, and Western Illinois University, against the appropriation for personal services of the department, board, body, agency or commission by which such employee is employed.

Such deductions may be made notwithstanding that the compensation paid in cash to such employee is thereby reduced below the minimum prescribed by law. Payment to such employee of compensation less such deduction shall constitute a full and complete discharge and acquittance of all claims and demands whatsoever for the services rendered by such employee during the period covered by such payment.

Such request for deduction may be withdrawn at any time by filing a written notification of withdrawal with the department, board, body, agency or commission, the University of Illinois, Southern Illinois University, Chicago State University, Eastern Illinois University, Governors State University, Illinois State University, Northeastern Illinois University, Northern Illinois University, or Western Illinois University, by which such employee is employed.

(Source: P.A. 91-896, eff. 7-6-00.)

(5 ILCS 340/4.5)

Sec. 4.5. State annuitant withholding. A State annuitant may authorize the withholding of a portion of his or her annuity or disability benefit for contribution to a maximum of 4 organizations described in paragraphs (b) and (c) of Section 3 of this Act. Upon written request of a State annuitant, a retirement system may deduct or direct the State Comptroller to deduct from the annuity or disability benefit of the State annuitant the amount specified in the written request for payment to the organization designated by the State annuitant. The retirement system may determine the timing for the deductions based on the retirement system's benefit processing schedule. The moneys so deducted shall be paid over promptly to the organizations designated by the State annuitant by means of warrants drawn by the retirement system or the State Comptroller against the fund from which the State annuitant is receiving his or her annuity or disability benefit.

Withholding under this Section may be terminated by the State annuitant at any time by filing a written direction with the retirement system.

Each retirement system may promulgate rules regarding the administration of this Section with respect to persons receiving an annuity or disability benefit from the retirement system.

(Source: P.A. 91-896, eff. 7-6-00.)

(5 ILCS 340/5) (from Ch. 15, par. 505)

Sec. 5. Rules; Advisory Committee. The State Comptroller shall promulgate and issue reasonable rules and regulations as deemed necessary for the administration of this Act.

All solicitations of State employees for contributions at their workplace and all solicitations of State annuitants for contributions shall be in accordance with rules promulgated by the Comptroller or his or her designee or other agency as may be designated by the Comptroller. All solicitations of State annuitants for contributions shall also be in accordance with the rules promulgated by the applicable retirement system.

The rules promulgated by the Comptroller or his or her designee or other agency as designated by the Comptroller shall include a Code of Campaign Conduct that all qualified organizations and United Funds shall subscribe to in writing, sanctions for violations of the Code of Campaign Conduct, provision for the handling of cash contributions, provision for an Advisory Committee, provisions for the allocation of expenses among the participating organizations, an organizational plan and structure whereby responsibilities are set forth for the appropriate State employees or State annuitants and the participating organizations, and any other matters that are necessary to accomplish the purposes of this Act.

The Comptroller or the Comptroller's designee shall promulgate rules to establish the composition and the duties of the Advisory Committee. The Comptroller or the Comptroller's designee shall make appointments to the Advisory Committee. The powers of the Advisory Committee shall include, at a minimum, the ability to impose the sanctions authorized by rule. Each State agency and each retirement system shall file an annual report that sets forth, for the prior calendar year, (i) the total amount of money contributed to each qualified organization and united fund through both payroll deductions and cash contributions, (ii) the number of employees or State annuitants who have contributed to each qualified organization and united fund, and (iii) any other information required by the rules. The report shall not include the names of any contributing or non-contributing employees or State annuitants. The report shall be filed with the Advisory Committee no later than March 15. The report shall be available for inspection.

Other constitutional officers, retirement systems, the University of Illinois, Southern Illinois University, Chicago State University, Eastern Illinois University, Governors State University, Illinois State University, Northeastern Illinois University, Northern Illinois University, and Western Illinois University shall be governed by the rules promulgated pursuant to this Section, unless such entities adopt their own rules governing solicitation of contributions at the workplace.

All rules promulgated pursuant to this Section shall not discriminate against one or more qualified organizations or United Funds.

(Source: P.A. 102-291, eff. 8-6-21.)

(5 ILCS 340/6) (from Ch. 15, par. 506)

Sec. 6. Pursuant to the provision of Section 5, rules shall be promulgated which establish a period between September 1 and November 30 during which all qualified organizations and United Funds shall be permitted to solicit State employees for voluntary contributions at their places of work. However, State and university employees hired at any time after the official 8-week campaign period may make voluntary contributions through payroll withholding. The informational materials from the immediately prior SECA campaign period may be provided to each such employee. No organization shall solicit State employees for contributions at their places of work, except pursuant to the provisions of this Act and the rules promulgated thereunder.

(Source: P.A. 93-238, eff. 7-22-03.)

(5 ILCS 340/7) (from Ch. 15, par. 507)

Sec. 7. Notwithstanding any other provision of this Act, a participating organization or a United Fund may be denied participation in SECA for willful failure to comply with the provisions of paragraph (9) of subsection (b) of Section 3 of this Act. The agency designated by the Comptroller under paragraph (9) of subsection (b) of Section 3 of this Act shall adopt rules providing for procedures for review by the agency of alleged violations of that paragraph and appropriate remedial sanctions for noncompliance. The rules shall include an appeal procedure for any affected participating organization or United Fund. The agency designated by the Comptroller shall notify the Comptroller immediately of any final decision to remove a qualified organization or United Fund from participation in SECA.

(Source: P.A. 102-291, eff. 8-6-21.)

(5 ILCS 340/8)

Sec. 8. Reports.

(a) The Comptroller shall annually prepare a report on the number of State and university employees and State annuitants who have contributed to qualified organizations and united funds under this Act during the prior calendar year. The report shall set forth (i) the number of payroll deductions received by each qualified organization and united fund, (ii) the total amount of the contributions received by each qualified organization and united fund, and (iii) the State agencies, universities, and retirement systems from which the contributions were received. The report shall be prepared no later than April 1 of each year and shall be available to the public upon request.

(b) By March 1 of each year, each university shall submit to the Comptroller a report containing the information required for the preparation of the Comptroller's report under subsection (a) with respect to that university and its employees.

(c) By March 1 of each year, each retirement system shall submit to the Comptroller a report containing the information required for the preparation of the Comptroller's report under subsection (a) with respect to that retirement system and its participating State annuitants. The Comptroller may waive this reporting requirement for any retirement system if the Comptroller performs the retirement processing for the retirement system.

(Source: P.A. 90-799, eff. 6-1-99; 91-896, eff. 7-6-00.)