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1 | AN ACT concerning human rights.
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2 | Be it enacted by the People of the State of Illinois,
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3 | represented in the General Assembly:
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4 | Section 5. The Illinois Human Rights Act is amended by | |||||||||||||||||||
5 | changing Section 2-109 as follows: | |||||||||||||||||||
6 | (775 ILCS 5/2-109) | |||||||||||||||||||
7 | Sec. 2-109. Sexual harassment prevention training. | |||||||||||||||||||
8 | (A) The General Assembly finds that the organizational | |||||||||||||||||||
9 | tolerance of sexual harassment has a detrimental influence in | |||||||||||||||||||
10 | workplaces by creating a hostile environment for employees, | |||||||||||||||||||
11 | reducing productivity, and increasing legal liability. It is | |||||||||||||||||||
12 | the General Assembly's intent to encourage employers to adopt | |||||||||||||||||||
13 | and actively implement policies to ensure their workplaces are | |||||||||||||||||||
14 | safe for employees to report concerns about sexual harassment | |||||||||||||||||||
15 | without fear of retaliation, loss of status, or loss of | |||||||||||||||||||
16 | promotional opportunities. | |||||||||||||||||||
17 | (B) The Department shall produce a model sexual harassment | |||||||||||||||||||
18 | prevention training program aimed at the prevention of sexual | |||||||||||||||||||
19 | harassment in the workplace. The model program shall be made | |||||||||||||||||||
20 | available to employers and to the public online at no cost. | |||||||||||||||||||
21 | This model program shall include, at a minimum, the following: | |||||||||||||||||||
22 | (1) an explanation of sexual harassment consistent | |||||||||||||||||||
23 | with this Act; |
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1 | (2) examples of conduct that constitutes unlawful | ||||||
2 | sexual harassment; | ||||||
3 | (3) a summary of relevant federal and State statutory | ||||||
4 | provisions concerning sexual harassment, including | ||||||
5 | remedies available to victims of sexual harassment; and | ||||||
6 | (4) a summary of responsibilities of employers in the | ||||||
7 | prevention, investigation, and corrective measures of | ||||||
8 | sexual harassment. | ||||||
9 | (C) Except for those employers subject to the requirements | ||||||
10 | of Section 5-10.5 of the State Officials and Employees Ethics | ||||||
11 | Act, every employer with employees working in this State shall | ||||||
12 | use the model sexual harassment prevention training program | ||||||
13 | created by the Department or establish its own sexual | ||||||
14 | harassment prevention training program that equals or exceeds | ||||||
15 | the minimum standards in subsection (B). The sexual harassment | ||||||
16 | prevention training shall be provided at least once a year to | ||||||
17 | all employees. For the purposes of satisfying the requirements | ||||||
18 | under this Section, the Department's model sexual harassment | ||||||
19 | prevention training program may be used to supplement any | ||||||
20 | existing program an employer is utilizing or develops. An | ||||||
21 | employer is not required to provide sexual harassment | ||||||
22 | prevention training for a trade union worker if the worker has | ||||||
23 | participated in a sexual harassment prevention training | ||||||
24 | program under subsection (C-5). | ||||||
25 | (C-5) A trade union shall provide sexual harassment | ||||||
26 | prevention training for its workers in this State. Any trade |
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1 | union providing sexual harassment prevention training shall | ||||||
2 | use the model sexual harassment prevention training program | ||||||
3 | created by the Department or establish its own sexual | ||||||
4 | harassment prevention training program that equals or exceeds | ||||||
5 | the minimum standards in subsection (B). The sexual harassment | ||||||
6 | prevention training shall be provided at least once a year to | ||||||
7 | all workers and the trade union shall maintain a log | ||||||
8 | indicating each worker's yearly training status. A worker is | ||||||
9 | not required to participate in a sexual harassment prevention | ||||||
10 | training program under subsection (C) each time the worker is | ||||||
11 | hired for a new job if the worker has already participated in a | ||||||
12 | sexual harassment prevention training program during that | ||||||
13 | calendar year. | ||||||
14 | (D) If an employer violates this Section, the Department | ||||||
15 | shall issue a notice to show cause giving the employer 30 days | ||||||
16 | to comply. If the employer does not comply within 30 days, the | ||||||
17 | Department shall petition the Human Rights Commission for | ||||||
18 | entry of an order imposing a civil penalty against the | ||||||
19 | employer pursuant to Section 8-109.1. The civil penalty shall | ||||||
20 | be paid into the Department of Human Rights Training and | ||||||
21 | Development Fund.
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22 | (Source: P.A. 101-221, eff. 1-1-20 .)
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