SB1667 103RD GENERAL ASSEMBLY

LRB103 29004 SPS 55390 b

103RD GENERAL ASSEMBLY
State of Illinois
2023 and 2024
SB1667

Introduced 2/8/2023, by Sen. Robert Peters

SYNOPSIS AS INTRODUCED:

765 ILCS 1026/15-201
820 ILCS 105/12	from Ch. 48, par. 1012
820 ILCS 115/11.5
820 ILCS 115/14	from Ch. 48, par. 39m-14

Amends the Minimum Wage Law and the Illinois Wage Payment and Collection Act. Provides that wages recovered by the Department of Labor shall be deposited into the Department of Labor Special State Trust Fund, from which the Department shall disburse the sums owed to the employee or employees. Provides that the Department shall conduct a good faith search to find all employees for whom it has recovered unpaid minimum wages or unpaid overtime compensation. Provides that beginning July 1, 2023, or as soon as is practical, and each July 1 thereafter, the Department may direct the State Comptroller and State Treasurer to transfer up to 15% of the balance of the moneys due to employees who cannot be located and that have been held by the Department in the Department of Labor Special State Trust Fund for 3 or more years from the Department of Labor Special State Trust Fund to the Wage Theft Enforcement Fund. Makes other changes. Amends the Revised Uniform Unclaimed Property Act to make conforming changes. Effective immediately.

A BILL FOR

AN ACT concerning employment.

Be it enacted by the People of the State of Illinois, represented in the General Assembly:

Section 5. The Revised Uniform Unclaimed Property Act is amended by changing Section 15-201 of the Act as follows:

(765 ILCS 1026/15-201)

Sec. 15-201. When property presumed abandoned. Subject to Section 15-210, the following property is presumed abandoned if it is unclaimed by the apparent owner during the period specified below:

(1) a traveler's check, 15 years after issuance;

(2) a money order, 5 years after issuance;

(3) any instrument on which a financial organization or business association is directly liable, other than a money order, 3 years after issuance;

(4) a state or municipal bond, bearer bond, or original-issue-discount bond, 3 years after the earliest of the date the bond matures or is called or the obligation to pay the principal of the bond arises;

(5) a debt of a business association, 3 years after the obligation to pay arises;

(6) financial organization deposits as follows:

(i) a demand deposit, 3 years after the date of the last indication of interest in the property by the apparent owner;

(ii) a savings deposit, 3 years after the date of last indication of interest in the property by the apparent owner;

(iii) a time deposit for which the owner has not consented to automatic renewal of the time deposit, 3 years after the later of maturity or the date of the last indication of interest in the property by the apparent owner;

(iv) an automatically renewable time deposit for which the owner consented to the automatic renewal in a record on file with the holder, 3 years after the date of last indication of interest in the property by the apparent owner, following the completion of the initial term of the time deposit and one automatic renewal term of the time deposit;

(6.5) virtual currency, 5 years after the last indication of interest in the property;

(7) money or a credit owed to a customer as a result of a retail business transaction, other than in-store credit for returned merchandise, 3 years after the obligation arose;

(8) an amount owed by an insurance company on a life or endowment insurance policy or an annuity contract that has matured or terminated, 3 years after the obligation to pay arose under the terms of the policy or contract or, if a policy or contract for which an amount is owed on proof of death has not matured by proof of the death of the insured or annuitant, as follows:

(A) with respect to an amount owed on a life or endowment insurance policy, the earlier of:

(i) 3 years after the death of the insured; or

(ii) 2 years after the insured has attained, or would have attained if living, the limiting age under the mortality table on which the reserve for the policy is based; and

(B) with respect to an amount owed on an annuity contract, 3 years after the death of the annuitant.

(9) funds on deposit or held in trust pursuant to the Illinois Funeral or Burial Funds Act, the earliest of:

(A) 2 years after the date of death of the beneficiary;

(B) one year after the date the beneficiary has attained, or would have attained if living, the age of 105 where the holder does not know whether the beneficiary is deceased;

(C) 40 years after the contract for prepayment was executed, unless the apparent owner has indicated an interest in the property more than 40 years after the contract for prepayment was executed, in which case, 3 years after the last indication of interest in the property by the apparent owner;

(10) property distributable by a business association in the course of dissolution or distributions from the termination of a retirement plan, one year after the property becomes distributable;

(11) property held by a court, including property received as proceeds of a class action, 3 years after the property becomes distributable;

(12) property held by a government or governmental subdivision, agency, or instrumentality, including municipal bond interest and unredeemed principal under the administration of a paying agent or indenture trustee, 3 years after the property becomes distributable;

(13) wages, commissions, bonuses, or reimbursements to which an employee is entitled, or other compensation for personal services, including amounts held on a payroll card, one year after the amount becomes payable, except as provided in the Minimum Wage Law and the Illinois Wage Payment and Collection Act;

(14) a deposit or refund owed to a subscriber by a utility, one year after the deposit or refund becomes payable, except that any capital credits or patronage capital retired, returned, refunded or tendered to a member of an electric cooperative, as defined in Section 3.4 of the Electric Supplier Act, or a telephone or telecommunications cooperative, as defined in Section 13-212 of the Public Utilities Act, that has remained unclaimed by the person appearing on the records of the entitled cooperative for more than 2 years, shall not be subject to, or governed by, any other provisions of this Act, but rather shall be used by the cooperative for the benefit of the general membership of the cooperative; and

(15) property not specified in this Section or Sections 15-202 through 15-208, the earlier of 3 years after the owner first has a right to demand the property or the obligation to pay or distribute the property arises.

Notwithstanding anything to the contrary in this Section 15-201, and subject to Section 15-210, a deceased owner cannot indicate interest in his or her property. If the owner is deceased and the abandonment period for the owner's property specified in this Section 15-201 is greater than 2 years, then the property, other than an amount owed by an insurance company on a life or endowment insurance policy or an annuity contract that has matured or terminated, shall instead be presumed abandoned 2 years from the date of the owner's last indication of interest in the property.

(Source: P.A. 101-552, eff. 1-1-20; 102-288, eff. 8-6-21.)

Section 10. The Minimum Wage Law is amended by changing Section 12 as follows:

(820 ILCS 105/12) (from Ch. 48, par. 1012)

Sec. 12. (a) If any employee is paid by his or her employer less than the wage to which he or she is entitled under the provisions of this Act, the employee may recover in a civil action treble the amount of any such underpayments together with costs and such reasonable attorney's fees as may be allowed by the Court, and damages of 5% of the amount of any such underpayments for each month following the date of payment during which such underpayments remain unpaid. Any agreement between the employee and the employer to work for less than such wage is no defense to such action. At the request of the employee or on motion of the Director of Labor, the Department of Labor may make an assignment of such wage claim in trust for the assigning employee and may bring any legal action necessary to collect such claim, and the employer shall be required to pay the costs incurred in collecting such claim. Every such action shall be brought within 3 years from the date of the underpayment. Such employer shall be liable to the Department of Labor for a penalty in an amount of up to 20% of the total employer's underpayment where the employer's conduct is proven by a preponderance of the evidence to be willful, repeated, or with reckless disregard of this Act or any rule adopted under this Act. Such employer shall be liable to the Department for an additional penalty of $1,500. All administrative penalties ordered under this Act shall be paid by certified check, money order, or an electronic payment system designated by the Department for such purposes and shall be made , payable to the Department's Wage Theft Enforcement Fund. Such employer shall be additionally liable to the employee for damages in the amount of 5% of the amount of any such underpayments for each month following the date of payment during which such underpayments remain unpaid. These penalties and damages may be recovered in a civil action brought by the Director of Labor in any circuit court. In any such action, the Director of Labor shall be represented by the Attorney General.

If an employee collects damages of 5% of the amount of underpayments as a result of an action brought by the Director of Labor, the employee may not also collect those damages in a private action brought by the employee for the same violation. If an employee collects damages of 5% of the amount of underpayments in a private action brought by the employee, the employee may not also collect those damages as a result of an action brought by the Director of Labor for the same violation.

(b) If an employee has not collected damages under subsection (a) for the same violation, the Director is authorized to supervise the payment of the unpaid minimum wages and the unpaid overtime compensation owing to any employee or employees under Sections 4 and 4a of this Act and may bring any legal action necessary to recover the amount of the unpaid minimum wages and unpaid overtime compensation and an equal additional amount as damages, and the employer shall be required to pay the costs incurred in collecting such claim. Such employer shall be additionally liable to the Department of Labor for up to 20% of the total employer's underpayment where the employer's conduct is proven by a preponderance of the evidence to be willful, repeated, or with reckless disregard of this Act or any rule adopted under this Act. Such employer shall be liable to the Department of Labor for an additional penalty of $1,500, payable to the Department's Wage Theft Enforcement Fund. The action shall be brought within 5 years from the date of the failure to pay the wages or compensation. Any sums thus recovered by the Director on behalf of an employee pursuant to this subsection shall be deposited into the Department of Labor Special State Trust Fund, from which the Department shall disburse the sums owed to the employee or employees. The Department shall conduct a good faith search to find all employees for whom it has recovered unpaid minimum wages or unpaid overtime compensation. All disbursements authorized under this Section shall be made by certified check, money order, or an electronic payment system designated by the Department paid to the employee or employees affected. Any sums which, more than one year after being thus recovered, the Director is unable to pay to an employee shall be deposited into the General Revenue Fund.

(c) The Department shall hold any moneys due to employees that it is unable to locate in the Department of Labor Special State Trust Fund for no less than 3 years after the moneys were collected.

Beginning July 1, 2023, or as soon as is practical, and each July 1 thereafter, the Department may direct the State Comptroller and State Treasurer to transfer up to 15% of the balance of the moneys due to employees who cannot be located and that have been held by the Department in the Department of Labor Special State Trust Fund for 3 or more years from the Department of Labor Special State Trust Fund to the Wage Theft Enforcement Fund. The Department may use moneys in the Wage Theft Enforcement Fund for the purposes described in Section 14 of the Illinois Wage Payment and Collection Act.

(d) The Department may adopt rules to implement and administer this Section.

(Source: P.A. 101-1, eff. 2-19-19.)

Section 15. The Illinois Wage Payment and Collection Act is amended by changing Sections 11.5 and 14 as follows:

(820 ILCS 115/11.5)

Sec. 11.5. Departmental wage recovery; remittance to aggrieved employee.

(a) Upon the recovery of unpaid wages, wage supplements, or final compensation from an employer that has violated this Act, the Department shall conduct a good faith search to find the aggrieved employee. If, after conducting a good faith search for the aggrieved employee, the Department is unable to find the aggrieved employee, the Department shall deposit the amount recovered into the Department of Labor Special State Trust Fund, from which the Department shall disburse the sums owed to the employee or employees. The Department shall conduct a good faith search to find all employees for whom it has recovered unpaid wages, wage supplements, or final compensation. All disbursements authorized under this Section shall be made by certified check, money order, or an electronic payment system designated by the Department.

(a-5) The Department shall hold any moneys due to employees that it is unable to locate in the Department of Labor Special State Trust Fund for no less than 3 years after the moneys were collected.

Beginning July 1, 2023, or as soon as is practical, and each July 1 thereafter, the Department may direct the State Comptroller and State Treasurer to transfer up to 15% of the balance of the moneys due to employees who cannot be located and that have been held by the Department in the Department of Labor Special State Trust Fund for 3 or more years from the Department of Labor Special State Trust Fund to the Wage Theft Enforcement Fund. The Department may use moneys in the Wage Theft Enforcement Fund for the purposes described in Section 14 of the Illinois Wage Payment and Collection Act.

(b) An aggrieved employee may make a request to the Department in order to recover unpaid wages, wage supplements, or final compensation that has been deposited into the Department of Labor Special State Trust Fund. The Department shall not require the employee to present a Social Security number or proof of United States citizenship. For the purpose of paying claims under this Section from the Department of Labor Special State Trust Fund to aggrieved employees, the Comptroller shall assign a vendor payment number to the Department. When an aggrieved employee makes a valid request for payment to the Department, the Department shall use the vendor payment number to process payment on behalf of the aggrieved employee.

(c) The Department shall adopt rules for the administration of this Section.

(Source: P.A. 99-762, eff. 1-1-17.)

(820 ILCS 115/14) (from Ch. 48, par. 39m-14)

Sec. 14. (a) Any employee not timely paid wages, final compensation, or wage supplements by his or her employer as required by this Act shall be entitled to recover through a claim filed with the Department of Labor or in a civil action, but not both, the amount of any such underpayments and damages of 5% of the amount of any such underpayments for each month following the date of payment during which such underpayments remain unpaid. In a civil action, such employee shall also recover costs and all reasonable attorney's fees.

(a-5) In addition to the remedies provided in subsections (a), (b), and (c) of this Section, any employer or any agent of an employer, who, being able to pay wages, final compensation, or wage supplements and being under a duty to pay, wilfully refuses to pay as provided in this Act, or falsely denies the amount or validity thereof or that the same is due, with intent to secure for himself or other person any underpayment of such indebtedness or with intent to annoy, harass, oppress, hinder, delay or defraud the person to whom such indebtedness is due, upon conviction, is guilty of:

(1) for unpaid wages, final compensation or wage supplements in the amount of $5,000 or less, a Class B misdemeanor; or

(2) for unpaid wages, final compensation or wage supplements in the amount of more than $5,000, a Class A misdemeanor.

Each day during which any violation of this Act continues shall constitute a separate and distinct offense.

Any employer or any agent of an employer who violates this Section of the Act a subsequent time within 2 years of a prior criminal conviction under this Section is guilty, upon conviction, of a Class 4 felony.

(b) Any employer who has been demanded or ordered by the Department or ordered by the court to pay wages, final compensation, or wage supplements due an employee shall be required to pay a non-waivable administrative fee to the Department of Labor in the amount of $250 if the amount ordered by the Department as wages owed is $3,000 or less; $500 if the amount ordered by the Department as wages owed is more than $3,000, but less than $10,000; and $1,000 if the amount ordered by the Department as wages owed is $10,000 or more. Any employer who has been so demanded or ordered by the Department or ordered by a court to pay such wages, final compensation, or wage supplements and who fails to seek timely review of such a demand or order as provided for under this Act and who fails to comply within 15 calendar days after such demand or within 35 days of an administrative or court order is entered shall also be liable to pay a penalty to the Department of Labor of 20% of the amount found owing and a penalty to the employee of 1% per calendar day of the amount found owing for each day of delay in paying such wages to the employee. All moneys recovered as fees and civil penalties under this Act, except those owing to the affected employee, shall be deposited into the Wage Theft Enforcement Fund, a special fund which is hereby created in the State treasury. Moneys in the Fund may be used only for enforcement of this Act and for outreach and educational activities of the Department related to the recovery of unpaid or underpaid compensation and the disbursement of moneys to affected parties.

(b-5) Penalties and fees under this Section may be assessed by the Department and recovered in a civil action brought by the Department in any circuit court or in any administrative adjudicative proceeding under this Act. In any such civil action or administrative adjudicative proceeding under this Act, the Department shall be represented by the Attorney General.

(c) Any employer, or any agent of an employer, who discharges or in any other manner discriminates against any employee because that employee has made a complaint to his or her employer, to the Director of Labor or his or her authorized representative, in a public hearing, or to a community organization that he or she has not been paid in accordance with the provisions of this Act, or because that employee has caused to be instituted any proceeding under or related to this Act, or because that employee has testified or is about to testify in an investigation or proceeding under this Act, is guilty, upon conviction, of a Class C misdemeanor. An employee who has been unlawfully retaliated against shall be entitled to recover through a claim filed with the Department of Labor or in a civil action, but not both, all legal and equitable relief as may be appropriate. In a civil action, such employee shall also recover costs and all reasonable attorney's fees.

(Source: P.A. 102-50, eff. 7-9-21.)

Section 99. Effective date. This Act takes effect upon becoming law.