103RD GENERAL ASSEMBLY
State of Illinois
2023 and 2024
HB5570

 

Introduced 2/9/2024, by Rep. Charles Meier

 

SYNOPSIS AS INTRODUCED:
 
New Act
820 ILCS 105/5  from Ch. 48, par. 1005

    Creates the Employment Choice for All Act. Provides that, subject to appropriation, on and after July 1, 2030, the Department of Labor shall award grants to eligible employers who were issued 14(c) certificates in transforming their business model from providing employment using 14(c) certificates to a business model that employs and supports individuals with disabilities by providing competitive integrated employment. Sets forth requirements and procedures for receiving the grant. Preempts home rule. Provides that the Department shall conduct an evaluation of grants awarded under the Act. Creates the Competitive Integrated Employment Task Force and sets forth the purpose and membership of the Task Force. Amends the Minimum Wage Law to make conforming changes. Effective January 1, 2030.


LRB103 39495 SPS 69692 b

 

 

A BILL FOR

 

HB5570LRB103 39495 SPS 69692 b

1    AN ACT concerning employment.
 
2    Be it enacted by the People of the State of Illinois,
3represented in the General Assembly:
 
4    Section 1. Short title. This Act may be cited as the
5Employment Choice for All Act.
 
6    Section 5. Findings and purpose.
7    (a) The General Assembly finds that competitive and
8integrated employment between persons with a mental or
9physical disability and persons with no mental or physical
10disability is at an insufficient level that does not reflect
11the intent of the Illinois Employment First Act or the
12Customized Employment for Individuals with Disabilities Act.
13Data released by the Case for Inclusion ranks Illinois in the
14bottom 5 states in integrated workforces. In fact, when it
15comes to employment opportunities for individuals with
16developmental disabilities, only 7% of Illinois is integrated,
17compared to the national average of 20%. Data should be
18released by the Department of Human Services about the status
19and success of the U.S. Department of Education 84.421D:
20Disability Innovation Fund - Subminimum Wage to Competitive
21Integrated Employment Innovative Model Demonstration Project
22(SWTCIE) Illinois (24-444-30-3025) to better model this Act.
23    (b) This Act is intended to provide assistance to

 

 

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1employers to integrate their workforce between persons with
2mental and physical disabilities and persons who do not have
3mental and physical disabilities. This policy applies to all
4public and private employers employing individuals with mental
5and physical disabilities. Nothing in this Act is intended to
6require any employer to give special treatment to persons with
7disabilities.
 
8    Section 10. Definitions. As used in this Act:
9    "Business model" means the way in which an employer plans
10to make a profit by identifying the products or services the
11employer plans to sell, its identified target market, and any
12anticipated expenses.
13    "Competitive employment" means work in the competitive
14labor market that is performed on a full-time or part-time
15basis in an integrated setting and for which an individual is
16compensated at or above the minimum wage, but not less than the
17customary wage and level of benefits paid by the employer for
18the same or similar work performed by individuals who are not
19persons with disabilities.
20    "Department" means the Department of Labor.
21    "Director" means the Director of Labor.
22    "Disability" means a disability as defined by the
23Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990 that is attributable
24to a developmental disability, a mental illness, a physical
25disability, or a combination of those.

 

 

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1    "Eligible employer" means an employer as defined in
2Section 3 of the Minimum Wage Law who:
3        (1) holds a 14(c) certificate authorized under the
4    federal Fair Labor Standards Labor Act of 1938, as well as
5    authorizations permitted under Section 5 and 10 of the
6    Minimum Wage Law to pay an employee with a disability less
7    than the minimum wage otherwise required for employees
8    under Section 4 of the Minimum Wage Law;
9        (2) is currently not funded as a community
10    rehabilitation program under the Department of Human
11    Services;
12        (3) has not already received a grant under Section 15;
13    and
14        (4) is willing and able to consent to transitioning
15    from subminimum wage to minimum wage in a competitive
16    integrated employment setting.
17    "Integrated setting" means, with respect to an employment
18outcome, a setting typically found in the community in which
19applicants or eligible individuals interact with individuals
20without disabilities, other than individuals without
21disabilities who are providing services to those applicants or
22eligible individuals, to the same extent that individuals
23without disabilities in comparable positions interact with
24other persons. "Integrated setting" also includes supported
25and customized employment, benefits counseling, job shadowing,
26and on-the-job experiences.
 

 

 

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1    Section 15. Grants to eligible employers.
2    (a) Subject to appropriation, on and after July 1, 2030,
3the Department shall award grants to eligible employers who
4were issued 14(c) certificates in transforming their business
5model from providing employment using 14(c) certificates to a
6business model that employs and supports individuals with
7disabilities by providing competitive integrated employment,
8including by compensating all employees at a rate that is:
9        (1) at or higher than the federal minimum wage; and
10        (2) at or higher than the benefit package afforded to
11    all employees, regardless of disability, except for an
12    employee that does have a disability, the cost of care for
13    the disability may be included in their benefit package.
14    (b) An eligible employer applying for a grant under this
15Section shall submit an application to the Department that
16includes:
17        (1) the number of employees under a 14(c) certificate
18    and demographic info of those employees, including gender,
19    race, ethnicity, and disability;
20        (2) the number of employees working for an employer
21    with a 14(c) certificate but who do not have a registered
22    disability receiving a 14(c) certificate subminimum wage;
23        (3) the average, minimum, maximum, and range of hourly
24    wages paid to employees employed using 14(c) certificates
25    during the previous year;

 

 

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1        (4) the average, minimum, maximum, and range of hourly
2    wages paid to all employees, regardless of disability
3    during the previous year;
4        (5) a historical accounting, covering each of the
5    previous 5 fiscal years, of the number of employees with a
6    disability working for a wage that is:
7            (A) less than the higher of the rate specified in
8        29 U.S.C. 206(a)(1) or the rate specified by a State or
9        local minimum wage law; or
10            (B) less than the customary rate paid by the
11        employer for the same or similar work performed by
12        other employees who are not individuals with
13        disabilities and who are similarly situated in similar
14        occupations by the same employer and who have similar
15        training, experience, and skills;
16        (6) during the preceding 5 fiscal years, the number of
17    individuals with disabilities, disaggregated by fiscal
18    year, who have been transitioned by the eligible employer
19    from employment under a 14(c) certificate to a competitive
20    integrated employment;
21        (7) a description of the eligible employer's business
22    model, including the financial and organizational
23    structure of the eligible employer that is using the 14(c)
24    certificates, including:
25            (A) the type of integrated settings the eligible
26        employer has provided to its disabled employees;

 

 

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1            (B) the budget and the funding structure; and
2            (C) the human resource structure;
3        (8) a description of activities to be funded under the
4    grant and the goals of the activities, including;
5            (A) a description of the business model of
6        competitive integrated employment or a combination of
7        competitive integrated employment and integrated
8        services into which the models of the eligible
9        employer will transform, including the business plan,
10        employment structure, and leadership organization of
11        the eligible employer;
12            (B) a description of the integrated services to be
13        provided by the eligible employer;
14            (C) after the transformation of the eligible
15        employer's business model, the number of employees
16        that will be employed under the model;
17            (D) the funding structure the eligible employer
18        will use to provide competitive integrated employment
19        or a combination of such employment and integrated
20        services;
21            (E) a description of the transportation methods
22        needed for employees to make it to and from their place
23        of employment;
24            (F) a description of the transportation methods
25        available provided by the employer for employees to
26        make it to and from their place of employment;

 

 

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1            (G) the process to be used for the transformation
2        of the eligible employer's business model, including:
3                (i) redesign of contracts;
4                (ii) changes in funding sources;
5                (iii) staff training on competitive integrated
6            employment support and practices;
7                (iv) input from key stakeholders, including
8            individuals with disabilities, their families, and
9            other local stakeholders; and
10                (v) a description of the individuals who will
11            be responsible for the development and
12            implementation of such process;
13        (9) a timeline of activities to be implemented and
14    goals to be reached on a quarterly basis during the 3-year
15    grant period;
16        (10) a description of how the activities under the
17    grant will coordinate with the State programs, agencies,
18    and funding in the transformation described in paragraph
19    (8);
20        (11) assurances that:
21            (A) the activities carried out under the grant
22        will result in the transformation described in
23        paragraph (8);
24            (B) individuals with disabilities who were
25        employed by the eligible employer under 14(c)
26        certificates will be employed in competitive

 

 

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1        integrated employment receiving a minimum wage;
2            (C) the application submitted is accurate and
3        truthful;
4            (D) the eligible employer will cooperate with the
5        evaluation described in Section 20 by providing all
6        data required and allowing evaluation of the
7        activities under the grant; and
8            (E) individuals with disabilities who are employed
9        by the eligible employers receiving a grant under this
10        Act meet the standard level work performance;
11        (12) assurances of collaboration and support from all
12    State entities, including the Department of Human
13    Services, the State Board of Education, and other State
14    and government entities and organizations that support
15    transformations to providing competitive integrated
16    employment and integrated services for employees employed;
17        (13) the date on which the eligible employer will
18    fully implement the minimum wage for disabled employees;
19    and
20        (14) other information and assurances as the Director
21    may reasonably require.
22    (c) Individuals with mental and physical disabilities who
23are employed by employers receiving a grant under this Act
24shall be evaluated on a standard level work performance that
25shall include:
26        (1) the duration of completion of task;

 

 

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1        (2) the duration of mental health breaks; and
2        (3) the duration of physical health breaks.
3    (d) To the extent practicable, the Director shall
4distribute grant funds under this Section equitably among
5geographic areas of the State and shall take into account
6rural and urban diversity.
7    (e) To the extent practicable, the Director shall
8distribute grant funds under this Section equitably among
9eligible employers providing employment using 14(c)
10certificates serving different numbers of individuals.
11    (f) A grant awarded under this Section shall be awarded
12for a period of 3 years. Grants shall be awarded under this
13Section in 2 grant cycles. Grants for the second grant cycle
14shall be awarded not earlier than the end of the second year of
15the first 3-year grant cycle.
16    (g) An employer may only be awarded one grant under this
17Section.
18    (h) A grant awarded under this Section may not be made in
19an amount that is less than $10,000 or more than $50,000 for
20the 3-year grant period.
21    (i) Upon confirmation of grant approval through either
22address of record or email address, the grantee may begin
23transitioning from subminimum wage to minimum wage immediately
24or in the preceding 48 hours.
25    (j) The grantee may accept the grant immediately or within
2648 hours upon approval. If the grantee makes the decision not

 

 

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1to accept the grant immediately or within 48 hours, the grant
2shall be returned to the State immediately for further
3consideration to the next applicant.
4    (l) The phasing out the 14(c) certificate subminimum wage
5to the minimum wage shall occur at a rate that equals or
6exceeds the greater of:
7        (1) 60% of the wage rate in effect under the federal
8    Competitive Integrated Employment For All Act;
9        (2) 70% of the wage rate in effect under subsection
10    (i), beginning one year after the effective date of this
11    Act;
12        (3) 80% of the wage rate in effect under subsection
13    (i), beginning 2 years after the effective date of this
14    Act; and
15        (4) 90% of the wage rate in effect under subsection
16    (i), beginning 3 years after the effective date of this
17    Act.
18    The wage rate in effect on the day before the date of
19enactment of the federal Competitive Integrated Employment For
20All Act, under a 14(c) certificate, shall not be changed.
21    (m) Upon completion of the transition from subminimum wage
22to minimum wage the 14(c) holder may still be considered 14(c)
23certified by the federal Fair Labor Standards Act, as well as
24authorizations permitted under Section 5 and 10 of the Minimum
25Wage Law.
 

 

 

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1    Section 20. Evaluation and report.
2    (a) The Department shall conduct an evaluation of grants
3awarded under this Act. The evaluation conducted by the
4Department shall evaluate all grant holder's:
5        (1) changes in wages and employment for employees with
6    mental or physical disabilities; and
7        (2) actions taken by the grant holder to comply with
8    Section 15.
9    (b) The Director shall submit to the General Assembly and
10the Governor a final report on such evaluations not later than
1118 months after the effective date of this Act.
 
12    Section 25. Exclusions. Nothing in this Act shall be
13construed to affect the validity of holders of certificates
14issued under Section 14(c) of the Fair Labor Standards Act,
15including community-integrated living arrangements under the
16Community-Integrated Living Arrangements Licensure and
17Certification Act, community services under the Community
18Services Act, and intermediate care facilities for
19developmental disabilities under the ID/DD Community Care Act.
 
20    Section 30. Home rule. The regulation of 14(c)
21certificates is an exclusive power and function of the State.
22A home rule unit may not regulate 14(c) certificates. This
23Section is a denial and limitation of home rule powers and
24functions under subsection (h) of Section 6 of Article VII of

 

 

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1the Illinois Constitution.
 
2    Section 35. Competitive Integrated Employment Task Force.
3    (a) The Competitive Integrated Employment Task Force is
4created within the Department to (i) provide guidance and
5recommendations, (ii) review progress made throughout the
6process, (iii) address systemwide and systematic barriers to
7transition, and (iv) support the continued use of 14(c)
8certificates until a clear and concise consensus emerges from
9all parties in the Task Force on actions, including additional
10statutory, regulatory, or policy measures that could be taken
11to provide 14(c) holders with the necessary resources,
12including State and federal funding, to transition to
13competitive integrated employment.
14    (b) The Task Force shall be comprised of members as
15follows:
16        (1) one member of the Senate, appointed by the
17    President of the Senate;
18        (2) one member of the Senate, appointed by the
19    Minority Leader of the Senate;
20        (3) one member of the House of Representatives,
21    appointed by the Speaker of the House of Representatives;
22        (4) one member of the House of Representatives,
23    appointed by the Minority Leader of the House of
24    Representatives;
25        (5) one employee of either the Division of

 

 

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1    Developmental Disabilities or the Division of
2    Rehabilitation Services, appointed by the Secretary of
3    Human Services;
4        (6) the Director of Healthcare and Family Services, or
5    the Secretary's designee; and
6        (7) one representative from each of the following,
7    appointed by the Director:
8            (A) a community agency that is a 14(c) certificate
9        holder;
10            (B) an individual with a disability who has been
11        or is engaged in subminimum wage activities;
12            (C) an employer who owns a business that employs
13        individuals making the subminimum wage;
14            (D) an advocacy organization that is working to
15        end the issuance of 14(c) certificates; and
16            (E) an individual with a disability who has been
17        or is engaged in competitive integrated employment.
18    (c) The Task Force shall meet at the call of the Director
19and shall receive administrative and other support from the
20Department. The Task Force shall prepare and submit to the
21General Assembly and the Governor, one year after the
22effective date of this Act and every year thereafter, a
23progress report describing the progress the Task Force has
24made in achieving its goals described in subsection (a).
 
25    Section 90. The Minimum Wage Law is amended by changing

 

 

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1Section 5 as follows:
 
2    (820 ILCS 105/5)  (from Ch. 48, par. 1005)
3    Sec. 5.
4    (a) The Director may provide by regulation for the
5employment in any occupation of individuals whose earning
6capacity is impaired by age, or physical or mental deficiency
7or injury at such wages lower than the minimum wage rate
8provided in Section 4, subsection (a), as he may find
9appropriate to prevent curtailment of opportunities for
10employment, to avoid undue hardship, and to safeguard the
11minimum wage rate of this Act, except that no person who
12maintains a production level within the limits required of
13other employees may be paid at less than the minimum wage. No
14employee shall be employed at wages fixed pursuant to this
15Section except under a special license issued under applicable
16regulations of the Director.
17    (b) The Director may provide by regulation for the
18employment in any occupation of individuals with a mental or
19physical disability a Competitive Integrated Employment
20Transformation Grant to an eligible employer meeting the
21requirements under the Employment Choice for All Act. The
22Department shall provide technical assistance to employers who
23are transforming from employing individuals with disabilities
24using 14(c) certificates to providing competitive integrated
25employment paying a minimum wage.

 

 

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1(Source: P.A. 77-1451.)
 
2    Section 99. Effective date. This Act takes effect January
31, 2030.