SB2280 103RD GENERAL ASSEMBLY

LRB103 30715 SPS 57190 b

103RD GENERAL ASSEMBLY
State of Illinois
2023 and 2024
SB2280

Introduced 2/10/2023, by Sen. Ram Villivalam

SYNOPSIS AS INTRODUCED:

30 ILCS 105/5.942
820 ILCS 40/2	from Ch. 48, par. 2002
820 ILCS 40/3 rep.
820 ILCS 105/9	from Ch. 48, par. 1009
820 ILCS 105/12	from Ch. 48, par. 1012
820 ILCS 112/11
820 ILCS 112/30
820 ILCS 112/33 new
820 ILCS 112/40
820 ILCS 115/3	from Ch. 48, par. 39m-3
820 ILCS 115/11	from Ch. 48, par. 39m-11
820 ILCS 125/Act rep.
820 ILCS 175/45
820 ILCS 205/5	from Ch. 48, par. 31.5
820 ILCS 205/17	from Ch. 48, par. 31.17
820 ILCS 205/17.3	from Ch. 48, par. 31.17-3

Amends the State Finance Act. Changes the name of the Equal Pay Registration Fund to the Equal Pay Fund. Amends the Personnel Record Review Act. Provides that an employer shall, upon the employee's written request, email or mail a copy of a requested record to the employee. Repeals provisions concerning copies of personnel records. Amends the Minimum Wage Law, the Equal Pay Act of 2003, the Illinois Wage Payment and Collection Act, and the Day and Temporary Labor Services Act. Provides that every employer with employees who do not regularly report to a physical workplace, such as employees who work remotely or travel for work, shall provide specified information by email to its employees or conspicuous posting on the employer's website or intranet site, if such site is regularly used by the employer to communicate work-related information to employees and is able to be regularly accessed by all employees, freely and without interference. Repeals the Wages of Women and Minors Act. Makes other changes.

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 State Finance Act is amended by changing Section 5.942 as follows:

(30 ILCS 105/5.942)

Sec. 5.942. The Equal Pay Registration Fund.

(Source: P.A. 101-656, eff. 3-23-21; 102-813, eff. 5-13-22.)

Section 10. The Personnel Record Review Act is amended by changing Section 2 as follows:

(820 ILCS 40/2) (from Ch. 48, par. 2002)

Sec. 2. Open Records. Every employer shall, upon an employee's request which the employer may require be in writing on a form supplied by the employer, permit the employee to inspect any personnel documents which are, have been or are intended to be used in determining that employee's qualifications for employment, promotion, transfer, additional compensation, discharge or other disciplinary action, except as provided in Section 10. The inspection right encompasses personnel documents in the possession of a person, corporation, partnership, or other association having a contractual agreement with the employer to keep or supply a personnel record. An employee may request all or any part of his or her records, except as provided in Section 10. The employer shall grant at least 2 inspection requests by an employee in a calendar year when requests are made at reasonable intervals, unless otherwise provided in a collective bargaining agreement. The employer shall provide the employee with the inspection opportunity within 7 working days after the employee makes the request or if the employer can reasonably show that such deadline cannot be met, the employer shall have an additional 7 days to comply. The inspection shall take place at a location reasonably near the employee's place of employment and during normal working hours. The employer may allow the inspection to take place at a time other than working hours or at a place other than where the records are maintained if that time or place would be more convenient for the employee. Nothing in this Act shall be construed as a requirement that an employee be permitted to remove any part of such personnel records or any part of such records from the place on the employer's premises where it is made available for inspection. Each employer shall retain the right to protect his records from loss, damage, or alteration to insure the integrity of the records. The If an employee demonstrates that he or she is unable to review his or her personnel record at the employing unit, the employer shall, upon the employee's written request, email or mail a copy of the requested record to the employee by the email address or mailing address identified by the employee for the purpose of receiving the copy of requested record. An employer may charge a fee for providing a copy of the requested record. The fee shall be limited to the actual cost of duplicating the requested record.

(Source: P.A. 83-1362.)

(820 ILCS 40/3 rep.)

Section 15. The Personnel Record Review Act is amended by repealing Section 3.

Section 20. The Minimum Wage Law is amended by changing Sections 9 and 12 as follows:

(820 ILCS 105/9) (from Ch. 48, par. 1009)

Sec. 9. Every employer subject to any provision of this Act or of any regulations issued under this Act shall keep a summary of this Act approved by the Director, and copies of any applicable regulations issued under this Act or a summary of such regulations, posted in a conspicuous and accessible place in or about the premises wherever any person subject to this Act is employed. Every employer subject to any provision of this Act or any regulations issued under this Act with employees who do not regularly report to a physical workplace, such as employees who work remotely or travel for work, shall also provide the summaries and regulations by email to its employees or conspicuous posting on the employer's website or intranet site, if such site is regularly used by the employer to communicate work-related information to employees and is able to be regularly accessed by all employees, freely and without interference. Employers shall be furnished copies of such summaries and regulations by the State on request without charge.

(Source: P.A. 77-1451.)

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

Sec. 12. (a) If any employee is paid by his employer less than the wage to which he 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 by an electronic payment system designated by the Department, and shall be made , payable to or deposited into 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 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.

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

Section 25. The Equal Pay Act of 2003 is amended by changing Sections 11, 30, and 40, and by adding Section 33 as follows:

(820 ILCS 112/11)

Sec. 11. Equal pay registration certificate requirements; application. For the purposes of this Section 11 only, "business" means any private employer who has 100 or more employees in the State of Illinois and is required to file an Annual Employer Information Report EEO-1 with the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission, but does not include the State of Illinois or any political subdivision, municipal corporation, or other governmental unit or agency.

(a) A business must obtain an equal pay registration certificate from the Department.

(b) Any business subject to the requirements of this Section that is authorized to transact business in this State on March 23, 2021 shall submit an application to obtain an equal pay registration certificate, between March 24, 2022 and March 23, 2024, and must recertify every 2 years thereafter. Any business subject to the requirements of this Section that is authorized to transact business in this State after March 23, 2021 must submit an application to obtain an equal pay registration certificate within 3 years of commencing business operations, but not before January 1, 2024, and must recertify every 2 years thereafter. The Department shall collect contact information from each business subject to this Section. The Department shall assign each business a date by which it must submit an application to obtain an equal pay registration certificate. The business shall recertify every 2 years at a date to be determined by the Department. When a business receives a notice from the Department to recertify for its equal pay registration certificate, if the business has fewer than 100 employees, the business must certify in writing to the Department that it is exempt from this Section. Any new business that is subject to this Section and authorized to conduct business in this State, after the effective date of this amendatory Act of the 102nd General Assembly, shall submit its contact information to the Department by January 1 of the following year and shall be assigned a date by which it must submit an application to obtain an equal pay registration certificate. The Department's failure to assign a business a registration date does not exempt the business from compliance with this Section. The failure of the Department to notify a business of its recertification deadline may be a mitigating factor when making a determination of a violation of this Section.

(c) Application.

(1) A business shall apply for an equal pay registration certificate by paying a $150 filing fee and submitting wage records and an equal pay compliance statement to the Director as follows:

(A) Wage Records. Any business that is required to file an annual Employer Information Report EEO-1 with the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission must also submit to the Director a copy of the business's most recently filed Employer Information Report EEO-1. The business shall also compile a list of all employees during the past calendar year, separated by gender and the race and ethnicity categories as reported in the business's most recently filed Employer Information Report EEO-1, and the county in which the employee works, the date the employee started working for the business, any other information the Department deems necessary to determine if pay equity exists among employees, and report the total wages as defined by Section 2 of the Illinois Wage Payment and Collection Act paid to each employee during the past calendar year, rounded to the nearest $100, to the Director.

(B) Equal Pay Compliance Statement. The business must submit a statement signed by a corporate officer, legal counsel, or authorized agent of the business certifying:

(i) that the business is in compliance with this Act and other relevant laws, including but not limited to: Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, the Equal Pay Act of 1963, the Illinois Human Rights Act, and the Equal Wage Act;

(ii) that the average compensation for its female and minority employees is not consistently below the average compensation, as determined by rule by the United States Department of Labor, for its male and non-minority employees within each of the major job categories in the Employer Information Report EEO-1 for which an employee is expected to perform work, taking into account factors such as length of service, requirements of specific jobs, experience, skill, effort, responsibility, working conditions of the job, education or training, job location, use of a collective bargaining agreement, or other mitigating factors; as used in this subparagraph, "minority" has the meaning ascribed to that term in paragraph (1) of subsection (A) of Section 2 of the Business Enterprise for Minorities, Women, and Persons with Disabilities Act;

(iii) that the business does not restrict employees of one sex to certain job classifications, and makes retention and promotion decisions without regard to sex;

(iv) that wage and benefit disparities are corrected when identified to ensure compliance with the Acts cited in item (i);

(v) how often wages and benefits are evaluated; and

(vi) the approach the business takes in determining what level of wages and benefits to pay its employees; acceptable approaches include, but are not limited to, a wage and salary survey.

(C) Filing fee. The business shall pay to the Department a filing fee of $150. Proceeds from the fees collected under this Section shall be deposited into the Equal Pay Registration Fund, a special fund created in the State treasury. Moneys in the Fund shall be appropriated to the Department for the purposes of this Section.

(2) Receipt of the equal pay compliance application and statement by the Director does not establish compliance with the Acts set forth in item (i) of subparagraph (B) of paragraph (1) of this subsection (c).

(3) A business that has employees in multiple locations or facilities in Illinois shall submit a single application to the Department regarding all of its operations in Illinois.

(d) Issuance or rejection of registration certificate. After January 1, 2022, the Director must issue an equal pay registration certificate, or a statement of why the application was rejected, within 45 calendar days of receipt of the application. Applicants shall have the opportunity to cure any deficiencies in its application that led to the rejection, and re-submit the revised application to the Department within 30 calendar days of receiving a rejection. Applicants shall have the ability to appeal rejected applications. An application may be rejected only if it does not comply with the requirements of subsection (c), or the business is otherwise found to be in violation of this Act. The receipt of an application by the Department, or the issuance of a registration certificate by the Department, shall not establish compliance with the Equal Pay Act of 2003 as to all Sections except Section 11. The issuance of a registration certificate shall not be a defense against any Equal Pay Act violation found by the Department, nor a basis for mitigation of damages.

(e) Revocation of registration certificate. An equal pay registration certificate for a business may be suspended or revoked by the Director when the business fails to make a good faith effort to comply with the Acts identified in item (i) of subparagraph (B) of paragraph (1) of subsection (c), fails to make a good faith effort to comply with this Section, or has multiple violations of this Section or the Acts identified in item (i) of subparagraph (B) of paragraph (1) of subsection (c). Prior to suspending or revoking a registration certificate, the Director must first have sought to conciliate with the business regarding wages and benefits due to employees.

Consistent with Section 25, prior to or in connection with the suspension or revocation of an equal pay registration certificate, the Director, or his or her authorized representative, may interview workers, administer oaths, take or cause to be taken the depositions of witnesses, and require by subpoena the attendance and testimony of witnesses, and the production of personnel and compensation information relative to the matter under investigation, hearing or a department-initiated audit.

Neither the Department nor the Director shall be held liable for good faith errors in issuing, denying, suspending or revoking certificates.

(f) Administrative review. A business may obtain an administrative hearing in accordance with the Illinois Administrative Procedure Act before the suspension or revocation of its certificate or imposition of civil penalties as provided by subsection (i) is effective by filing a written request for hearing within 20 calendar days after service of notice by the Director.

(g) Technical assistance. The Director must provide technical assistance to any business that requests assistance regarding this Section.

(h) Access to data.

(1) Any individually identifiable information submitted to the Director within or related to an equal pay registration application or otherwise provided by an employer in its equal pay compliance statement under subsection (c) shall be considered confidential information and not subject to disclosure pursuant to the Illinois Freedom of Information Act. As used in this Section, "individually identifiable information" means data submitted pursuant to this Section that is associated with a specific person or business. Aggregate data or reports that are reasonably calculated to prevent the association of any data with any individual business or person are not confidential information. Aggregate data shall include the job category and the average hourly wage by county for each gender, race, and ethnicity category on the registration certificate applications. The Department of Labor may compile aggregate data from registration certificate applications.

(2) The Director's decision to issue, not issue, revoke, or suspend an equal pay registration certificate is public information.

(3) Notwithstanding this subsection (h), a current employee of a covered business may request anonymized data regarding their job classification or title and the pay for that classification. No individually identifiable information may be provided to an employee making a request under this paragraph.

(4) Notwithstanding this subsection (h), the Department may share data and identifiable information with the Department of Human Rights, pursuant to its enforcement of Article 2 of the Illinois Human Rights Act, or the Office of the Attorney General, pursuant to its enforcement of Section 10-104 of the Illinois Human Rights Act.

(5) Any Department employee who willfully and knowingly divulges, except in accordance with a proper judicial order or otherwise provided by law, confidential information received by the Department from any business pursuant to this Act shall be deemed to have violated the State Officials and Employees Ethics Act and be subject to the penalties established under subsections (e) and (f) of Section 50-5 of that Act after investigation and opportunity for hearing before the Executive Ethics Commission in accordance with Section 20-50 of that Act.

(i) Penalty. Falsification or misrepresentation of information on an application submitted to the Department shall constitute a violation of this Act and the Department may seek to suspend or revoke an equal pay registration certificate or impose civil penalties as provided under subsection (c) of Section 30.

(Source: P.A. 101-656, eff. 3-23-21; 102-36, eff. 6-25-21; 102-705, eff. 4-22-22.)

(820 ILCS 112/30)

Sec. 30. Violations; fines and penalties.

(a) If an employee is paid by his or her employer less than the wage to which he or she is entitled in violation of Section 10 or 11 of this Act, the employee may recover in a civil action the entire amount of any underpayment together with interest, compensatory damages if the employee demonstrates that the employer acted with malice or reckless indifference, punitive damages as may be appropriate, injunctive relief as may be appropriate, and the costs and reasonable attorney's fees as may be allowed by the court and as necessary to make the employee whole. At the request of the employee or on a motion of the Director, the Department may make an assignment of the wage claim in trust for the assigning employee and may bring any legal action necessary to collect the claim, and the employer shall be required to pay the costs incurred in collecting the claim. Every such action shall be brought within 5 years from the date of the underpayment. For purposes of this Act, "date of the underpayment" means each time wages are underpaid.

(a-5) If an employer violates subsection (b), (b-5), (b-10), or (b-20) of Section 10, the employee may recover in a civil action any damages incurred, special damages not to exceed $10,000, injunctive relief as may be appropriate, and costs and reasonable attorney's fees as may be allowed by the court and as necessary to make the employee whole. If special damages are available, an employee may recover compensatory damages only to the extent such damages exceed the amount of special damages. Such action shall be brought within 5 years from the date of the violation.

(b) The Director is authorized to supervise the payment of the unpaid wages under subsection (a) or damages under subsection (b), (b-5), (b-10), or (b-20) of Section 10 owing to any employee or employees under this Act and may bring any legal action necessary to recover the amount of unpaid wages, damages, and penalties or to seek injunctive relief, and the employer shall be required to pay the costs. Any sums recovered by the Director on behalf of an employee under this Section shall be paid to the employee or employees affected.

(c) Employers who violate any provision of this Act or any rule adopted under the Act are subject to a civil penalty, payable to the Department, for each employee affected as follows:

(1) An employer with fewer than 4 employees: first offense, a fine not to exceed $500; second offense, a fine not to exceed $2,500; third or subsequent offense, a fine not to exceed $5,000.

(2) An employer with between 4 and 99 employees: first offense, a fine not to exceed $2,500; second offense, a fine not to exceed $3,000; third or subsequent offense, a fine not to exceed $5,000.

(3) An employer with 100 or more employees who violates any Section of this Act except for Section 11 shall be fined up to $10,000 per employee affected. An employer with 100 or more employees that is a business as defined under Section 11 and commits a violation of Section 11 shall be fined up to $10,000.

Before any imposition of a penalty under this subsection, an employer with 100 or more employees who violates item (b) of Section 11 and inadvertently fails to file an initial application or recertification shall be provided 30 calendar days by the Department to submit the application or recertification.

An employer or person who violates subsection (b), (b-5), (b-10), (b-20), or (c) of Section 10 is subject to a civil penalty not to exceed $5,000 for each violation for each employee affected, payable to the Department.

(d) In determining the amount of the penalty, the appropriateness of the penalty to the size of the business of the employer charged and the gravity of the violation shall be considered. The penalty may be recovered in a civil action brought by the Director in any circuit court.

(Source: P.A. 101-177, eff. 9-29-19; 102-36, eff. 6-25-21.)

(820 ILCS 112/33 new)

Sec. 33. Equal Pay Fund. All moneys owed to the Department under this Act shall be deposited into the Equal Pay Fund and may be appropriated to the Department for the administration and enforcement of this Act.

(820 ILCS 112/40)

Sec. 40. Notification. Every employer covered by this Act shall post and keep posted, in conspicuous places on the premises of the employer where notices to employees are customarily posted, a notice, to be prepared or approved by the Director, summarizing the requirements of this Act and information pertaining to the filing of a charge. Every employer with employees who do not regularly report to a physical workplace, such as employees who work remotely or travel for work, shall also provide the summary and notice by email to its employees or conspicuous posting on the employer's website or intranet site, if such site is regularly used by the employer to communicate work-related information to employees and is able to be regularly accessed by all employees, freely and without interference. The Director shall furnish copies of summaries and rules to employers upon request without charge.

(Source: P.A. 93-6, eff. 1-1-04.)

Section 30. The Illinois Wage Payment and Collection Act is amended by changing Sections 3 and 11 as follows:

(820 ILCS 115/3) (from Ch. 48, par. 39m-3)

Sec. 3. Every employer shall be required, at least semi-monthly, to pay every employee all wages earned during the semi-monthly pay period. Wages of executive, administrative and professional employees, as defined in the Federal Fair Labor Standards Act of 1939, may be paid once a month. Commissions may be paid once a month. At the request of a person employed by an employment or labor placement agency which, in the ordinary course of business, makes daily wage payments to employees, the agency shall hold the daily wages and make either weekly or semi-monthly payments. Upon the written request of the employee, the wage shall be paid in a single check representing the wages earned during the period, either weekly or semi-monthly, designated by the employee in accordance with Section 4 of this Act. Employment and labor placement agencies that make daily wage payments shall provide written notification to all daily wage payment employees of the right to request weekly or semi-monthly checks. The employer may provide this notice by conspicuously posting the notice at the location where the wages are received by the daily wage employees. Every employer with employees who do not regularly report to a physical workplace, such as employees who work remotely or travel for work, shall also provide the summary and notice by email to its employees or conspicuous posting on the employer's website or intranet site, if such site is regularly used by the employer to communicate work-related information to employees and is able to be regularly accessed by all employees, freely and without interference.

(Source: P.A. 89-364, eff. 8-18-95.)

(820 ILCS 115/11) (from Ch. 48, par. 39m-11)

Sec. 11. It shall be the duty of the Department of Labor to inquire diligently for any violations of this Act, and to institute the actions for violations and penalties herein provided, at the request of the employee or on motion of the Director of Labor, and to enforce generally the provisions of this Act.

An employee may file a complaint with the Department alleging violations of the Act by submitting a signed, completed wage claim application on the form provided by the Department and by submitting copies of all supporting documentation. Complaints shall be filed within one year after the wages, final compensation, or wage supplements were due.

Wage claim applications Applications shall be reviewed by the Department to determine whether there is cause and sufficient resources for investigation.

The Department shall have the following powers:

(a) To investigate and attempt equitably to adjust controversies between employees and employers in respect of wage claims arising under this Act and to that end the Department through the Director of Labor or any other person in the Department of Labor designated by him or her, shall have the power to administer oaths, subpoena and examine witnesses, to issue subpoenas duces tecum requiring the production of such books, papers, records and documents as may be evidence of any matter under inquiry and to examine and inspect the same as may relate to the question in dispute. Service of such subpoenas shall be made by any sheriff or any person. Any court in this State, upon the application of the Department may compel attendance of witnesses, the production of books and papers, and the giving of testimony before the Department by attachment for contempt or in any other way as the production of evidence may be compelled before such court.

(b) To take assignments of wage claims in the name of the Director of Labor and his or her successors in office and prosecute actions for the collection of wages for persons financially unable to prosecute such claims when in the judgment of the Department such claims are valid and enforceable in the courts. No court costs or any fees for necessary process and proceedings shall be payable in advance by the Department for prosecuting such actions. In the event there is a judgment rendered against the defendant, the court shall assess as part of such judgment the costs of such proceeding. Upon collection of such judgments the Department shall pay from the proceeds of such judgment such costs to such person who is by law entitled to same. The Department may join in a single proceeding any number of wage claims against the same employer but the court shall have discretionary power to order a severance or separate trial for hearings.

(c) To make complaint in any court of competent jurisdiction of violations of this Act.

(d) In addition to the aforementioned powers, subject to appropriation, the Department may establish an administrative procedure to adjudicate claims and to issue final and binding administrative decisions on such claims subject to the Administrative Review Law. To establish such a procedure, the Director of Labor or her or his authorized representative may promulgate rules and regulations. The adoption, amendment or rescission of rules and regulations for such a procedure shall be in conformity with the requirements of the Illinois Administrative Procedure Act. If a final and binding administrative decision issued by the Department requires an employer or other party to pay wages, penalties, or other amounts in connection with a wage claim, and the employer or other party has neither: (i) made the required payment within 35 days of the issuance of the final and binding administrative decision; nor (ii) timely filed a complaint seeking review of the final and binding administrative decision pursuant to the Administrative Review Law in a court of competent jurisdiction, the Department may file a verified petition against the employer or other party to enforce the final administrative decision and to collect any amounts due in connection therewith in the circuit court of any county where an official office of the Department is located.

Nothing herein shall be construed to prevent any employee from making complaint or prosecuting his or her own claim for wages. Any employee aggrieved by a violation of this Act or any rule adopted under this Act may file suit in circuit court of Illinois, in the county where the alleged violation occurred or where any employee who is party to the action resides, without regard to exhaustion of any alternative administrative remedies provided in this Act. Actions may be brought by one or more employees for and on behalf of themselves and other employees similarly situated.

Nothing herein shall be construed to limit the authority of the State's attorney of any county to prosecute actions for violation of this Act or to enforce the provisions thereof independently and without specific direction of the Department of Labor.

(Source: P.A. 101-509, eff. 1-1-20.)

(820 ILCS 125/Act rep.)

Section 35. The Wages of Women and Minors Act is repealed.

Section 40. The Day and Temporary Labor Services Act is amended by changing Section 45 as follows:

(820 ILCS 175/45)

Sec. 45. Registration; Department of Labor.

(a) A day and temporary labor service agency which is located, operates or transacts business within this State shall register with the Department of Labor in accordance with rules adopted by the Department for day and temporary labor service agencies and shall be subject to this Act and any rules adopted under this Act. Each day and temporary labor service agency shall provide proof of an employer account number issued by the Department of Employment Security for the payment of unemployment insurance contributions as required under the Unemployment Insurance Act, and proof of valid workers' compensation insurance in effect at the time of registration covering all of its employees. If, at any time, a day and temporary labor service agency's workers' compensation insurance coverage lapses, the agency shall have an affirmative duty to report the lapse of such coverage to the Department and the agency's registration shall be suspended until the agency's workers' compensation insurance is reinstated. The Department may assess each day and temporary labor service agency a non-refundable registration fee not exceeding $1,000 per year per agency and a non-refundable fee not to exceed $250 for each branch office or other location where the agency regularly contracts with day or temporary laborers for services. The fee may be paid by check, money order, or the State Treasurer's E-Pay program or any successor program, and the Department may not refuse to accept a check on the basis that it is not a certified check or a cashier's check. The Department may charge an additional fee to be paid by a day and temporary labor service agency if the agency, or any person on the agency's behalf, issues or delivers a check to the Department that is not honored by the financial institution upon which it is drawn. The Department shall also adopt rules for violation hearings and penalties for violations of this Act or the Department's rules in conjunction with the penalties set forth in this Act.

(a-1) At the time of registration with the Department of Labor each year, the day and temporary labor service agency shall submit to the Department of Labor a report containing the information identified in paragraph (9) of subsection (a) of Section 12, broken down by branch office, in the aggregate for all day or temporary laborers assigned within Illinois and subject to this Act during the preceding year. This information shall be submitted on a form created by the Department of Labor. The Department of Labor shall aggregate the information submitted by all registering day and temporary labor service agencies by removing identifying data and shall have the information available to the public only on a municipal and county basis. As used in this paragraph, "identifying data" means any and all information that: (i) provides specific information on individual worker identity; (ii) identifies the service agency in any manner; and (iii) identifies clients utilizing the day and temporary labor service agency or any other information that can be traced back to any specific registering day and temporary labor service agency or its client. The information and reports submitted to the Department of Labor under this subsection by the registering day and temporary labor service agencies are exempt from inspection and copying under Section 7.5 of the Freedom of Information Act.

(b) It is a violation of this Act to operate a day and temporary labor service agency without first registering with the Department in accordance with subsection (a) of this Section. The Department shall create and maintain at regular intervals on its website, accessible to the public: (1) a list of all registered day and temporary labor service agencies in the State whose registration is in good standing; (2) a list of day and temporary labor service agencies in the State whose registration has been suspended, including the reason for the suspension, the date the suspension was initiated, and the date, if known, the suspension is to be lifted; and (3) a list of day and temporary labor service agencies in the State whose registration has been revoked, including the reason for the revocation and the date the registration was revoked. The Department has the authority to assess a penalty against any day and temporary labor service agency that fails to register with the Department of Labor in accordance with this Act or any rules adopted under this Act of $500 for each violation. Each day during which a day and temporary labor service agency operates without registering with the Department shall be a separate and distinct violation of this Act.

(c) An applicant is not eligible to register to operate a day and temporary labor service agency under this Act if the applicant or any of its officers, directors, partners, or managers or any owner of 25% or greater beneficial interest:

(1) has been involved, as owner, officer, director, partner, or manager, of any day and temporary labor service agency whose registration has been revoked or has been suspended without being reinstated within the 5 years immediately preceding the filing of the application; or

(2) is under the age of 18.

(d) Every agency shall post and keep posted at each location, in a position easily accessible to all day or temporary laborers employees, notices as supplied and required by the Department containing a copy or summary of the provisions of the Act and a notice which informs the public of a toll-free telephone number for day or temporary laborers and the public to file wage dispute complaints and other alleged violations by day and temporary labor service agencies. Every day and temporary labor service agency employing day or temporary laborers who communicate with the day and temporary labor service agency by electronic communication shall also provide all required notices by email to its day or temporary laborers or on a website, regularly used by the employer to communicate work-related information, that all day or temporary laborers are able to regularly access, freely and without interference. Such notices shall be in English and or any other language generally understood in the locale of the day and temporary labor service agency.

(Source: P.A. 100-517, eff. 6-1-18.)

Section 45. The Child Labor Law is amended by changing Sections 5, 17, and 17.3 as follows:

(820 ILCS 205/5) (from Ch. 48, par. 31.5)

Sec. 5. Every employer covered by this Act shall post in a conspicuous place where minors under 16 years of age are employed, or allowed to work, a printed summary abstract of this Act and a list of the occupations prohibited to such minors, to be furnished by the Department of Labor. Such employers shall post in a conspicuous place where minors under 16 years of age are employed, or allowed to work a printed notice stating the hours of commencing and stopping work, the hours when the time or times allowed for dinner or other meals, begin and end, and the Department's toll free telephone number established under Section 17.4. An employer with employees who do not regularly report to a physical workplace, such as employees who work remotely or travel for work, shall also provide the summary and notice by email to its employees or conspicuous posting on the employer's website or intranet site, if such site is regularly used by the employer to communicate work-related information to employees and is able to be regularly accessed by all employees, freely and without interference. The Department of Labor shall furnish this printed summary form of such notice shall be furnished by the Department of Labor.

(Source: P.A. 88-365.)

(820 ILCS 205/17) (from Ch. 48, par. 31.17)

Sec. 17. It shall be the duty of the Department of Labor to enforce the provisions of this Act. The Department of Labor shall have the power to conduct investigations in connection with the administration and enforcement of this Act and the authorized officers and employees of the Department of Labor are hereby authorized and empowered, to visit and inspect, at all reasonable times and as often as possible, all places covered by this Act. Truant officers and other school officials authorized by the board of education or school directors shall report violations under this Act to the Department of Labor, and may enter any place in which children are, or are believed to be employed and inspect the work certificates on file. Such truant officers or other school officials also are authorized to file complaints against any employer found violating the provisions of this Act in case no complaints for such violations are pending; and when such complaints are filed by truant officers or other school officials the State's attorneys of this state shall appear for the people, and attend to the prosecution of such complaints. The Department of Labor shall conduct hearings in accordance with "The Illinois Administrative Procedure Act", approved September 22, 1975, as amended, upon written complaint by an investigator of the Department of Labor, truant officer or other school official, or any interested person of a violation of the Act or to revoke any certificate under this Act. After such hearing, if supported by the evidence, the Department of Labor may issue and cause to be served on any party an order to cease and desist from violation of the Act, take such further affirmative or other action as deemed reasonable to eliminate the effect of the violation, and may revoke any certificate issued under the Act and determine the amount of any civil penalty allowed by the Act. The Department may serve such orders by regular mail, certified mail, or by sending a copy by email to an email address previously designated by the party for purposes of receiving notice under this Act. The Director of Labor or his authorized representative may compel by subpoena, the attendance and testimony of witnesses and the production of books, payrolls, records, papers and other evidence in any investigation or hearing and may administer oaths to witnesses.

(Source: P.A. 80-1482.)

(820 ILCS 205/17.3) (from Ch. 48, par. 31.17-3)

Sec. 17.3. Any employer who violates any of the provisions of this Act or any rule or regulation issued under the Act shall be subject to a civil penalty of not to exceed $5,000 for each such violation. In determining the amount of such penalty, the appropriateness of such penalty to the size of the business of the employer charged and the gravity of the violation shall be considered. The amount of such penalty, when finally determined, may be

(1) recovered in a civil action brought by the Director of Labor in any circuit court, in which litigation the Director of Labor shall be represented by the Attorney General;

(2) ordered by the court, in an action brought for violation under Section 19, to be paid to the Director of Labor.

Any administrative determination by the Department of Labor of the amount of each penalty shall be final unless reviewed as provided in Section 17.1 of this Act.

Civil penalties recovered under this Section shall be paid by certified check, money order, or by an electronic payment system designated by the Department, and deposited into the Child Labor and Day and Temporary Labor Services Enforcement Fund, a special fund which is hereby created in the State treasury. Moneys in the Fund may be used, subject to appropriation, for exemplary programs, demonstration projects, and other activities or purposes related to the enforcement of this Act or for the activities or purposes related to the enforcement of the Day and Temporary Labor Services Act, or for the activities or purposes related to the enforcement of the Private Employment Agency Act.

(Source: P.A. 98-463, eff. 8-16-13; 99-422, eff. 1-1-16.)