Sen. Kimberly A. Lightford

Filed: 5/30/2007

 

 


 

 


 
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1
AMENDMENT TO SENATE BILL 866

2     AMENDMENT NO. ______. Amend Senate Bill 866 by replacing
3 everything after the enacting clause with the following:
 
4     "Section 5. The Health Care Worker Background Check Act is
5 amended by changing Sections 15, 20, 25, 40, 45, 50, 55, and 60
6 and by adding Section 33 as follows:
 
7     (225 ILCS 46/15)
8     Sec. 15. Definitions. In For the purposes of this Act, the
9 following definitions apply:
10     "Applicant" means an individual seeking employment with a
11 health care employer who has received a bona fide conditional
12 offer of employment.
13     "Conditional offer of employment" means a bona fide offer
14 of employment by a health care employer to an applicant, which
15 is contingent upon the receipt of a report from the Department
16 of Public Health State Police indicating that the applicant

 

 

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1 does not have a record of conviction of any of the criminal
2 offenses enumerated in Section 25.
3     "Direct care" means the provision of nursing care or
4 assistance with feeding, dressing, movement, bathing,
5 toileting, or other personal needs, including home services as
6 defined in the Home Health, Home Services, and Home Nursing
7 Agency Licensing Act. The entity responsible for inspecting and
8 licensing, certifying, or registering the health care employer
9 may, by administrative rule, prescribe guidelines for
10 interpreting this definition with regard to the health care
11 employers that it licenses.
12     "Disqualifying offenses" means those offenses set forth in
13 Section 25 of this Act.
14     "Employee" means any individual hired, employed, or
15 retained to which this Act applies.
16     "Fingerprint-based criminal history records check" means a
17 livescan fingerprint-based criminal history records check
18 submitted as a fee applicant inquiry in the form and manner
19 prescribed by the Department of State Police.
20     "Health care employer" means:
21         (1) the owner or licensee of any of the following:
22             (i) a community living facility, as defined in the
23         Community Living Facilities Act;
24             (ii) a life care facility, as defined in the Life
25         Care Facilities Act;
26             (iii) a long-term care facility, as defined in the

 

 

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1         Nursing Home Care Act;
2             (iv) a home health agency, home services agency, or
3         home nursing agency as defined in the Home Health, Home
4         Services, and Home Nursing Agency Licensing Act;
5             (v) a comprehensive hospice care program or
6         volunteer hospice program, as defined in the Hospice
7         Program Licensing Act;
8             (vi) a hospital, as defined in the Hospital
9         Licensing Act;
10             (vii) (blank); a community residential
11         alternative, as defined in the Community Residential
12         Alternatives Licensing Act;
13             (viii) a nurse agency, as defined in the Nurse
14         Agency Licensing Act;
15             (ix) a respite care provider, as defined in the
16         Respite Program Act;
17             (ix-a) an establishment licensed under the
18         Assisted Living and Shared Housing Act;
19             (x) a supportive living program, as defined in the
20         Illinois Public Aid Code;
21             (xi) early childhood intervention programs as
22         described in 59 Ill. Adm. Code 121;
23             (xii) the University of Illinois Hospital,
24         Chicago;
25             (xiii) programs funded by the Department on Aging
26         through the Community Care Program;

 

 

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1             (xiv) programs certified to participate in the
2         Supportive Living Program authorized pursuant to
3         Section 5-5.01a of the Illinois Public Aid Code;
4             (xv) programs listed by the Emergency Medical
5         Services (EMS) Systems Act as Freestanding Emergency
6         Centers;
7             (xvi) locations licensed under the Alternative
8         Health Care Delivery Act;
9         (2) a day training program certified by the Department
10     of Human Services;
11         (3) a community integrated living arrangement operated
12     by a community mental health and developmental service
13     agency, as defined in the Community-Integrated Living
14     Arrangements Licensing and Certification Act; or
15         (4) the State Long Term Care Ombudsman Program,
16     including any regional long term care ombudsman programs
17     under Section 4.04 of the Illinois Act on the Aging, only
18     for the purpose of securing background checks.
19     "Initiate" means the obtaining of the authorization for a
20 record check from a student, applicant, or employee his or her
21 social security number, demographics, a disclosure statement,
22 and an authorization for the Department of Public Health or its
23 designee to request a fingerprint-based criminal history
24 records check; transmitting this information electronically to
25 the Department of Public Health; conducting Internet searches
26 on certain web sites, including without limitation the Illinois

 

 

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1 Sex Offender Registry, the Department of Corrections' Sex
2 Offender Search Engine, the Department of Corrections' Inmate
3 Search Engine, the Department of Corrections Wanted Fugitives
4 Search Engine, the National Sex Offender Public Registry, and
5 the website of the Health and Human Services Office of
6 Inspector General to determine if the applicant has been
7 adjudicated a sex offender, has been a prison inmate, or has
8 committed Medicare or Medicaid fraud, or conducting similar
9 searches as defined by rule; and having the student, applicant,
10 or employee's fingerprints collected and transmitted
11 electronically to the Department of State Police. The
12 educational entity or health care employer or its designee
13 shall transmit all necessary information and fees to the
14 Illinois State Police within 10 working days after receipt of
15 the authorization.
16     "Livescan vendor" means an entity whose equipment has been
17 certified by the Department of State Police to collect an
18 individual's demographics and inkless fingerprints and, in a
19 manner prescribed by the Department of State Police and the
20 Department of Public Health, electronically transmit the
21 fingerprints and required data to the Department of State
22 Police and a daily file of required data to the Department of
23 Public Health. The Department of Public Health shall negotiate
24 a contract with one or more vendors that effectively
25 demonstrate that the vendor has 2 or more years of experience
26 transmitting fingerprints electronically to the Department of

 

 

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1 State Police and that the vendor can successfully transmit the
2 required data in a manner prescribed by the Department of
3 Public Health. Vendor authorization may be further defined by
4 administrative rule.
5     "Long-term care facility" means a facility licensed by the
6 State or certified under federal law as a long-term care
7 facility, including without limitation facilities licensed
8 under the Nursing Home Care Act, a supportive living facility,
9 an assisted living establishment, or a shared housing
10 establishment or registered as a board and care home.
11 (Source: P.A. 93-878, eff. 1-1-05; 94-379, eff. 1-1-06; 94-570,
12 eff. 8-12-05; 94-665, eff. 1-1-06; revised 8-29-05.)
 
13     (225 ILCS 46/20)
14     Sec. 20. Exceptions. (1) This Act shall not apply to:
15         (1) (a) an individual who is licensed by the Department
16     of Financial and Professional Regulation or the Department
17     of Public Health under another law of this State;
18         (2) (b) an individual employed or retained by a health
19     care employer for whom a criminal background check is
20     required by another law of this State; or
21         (3) (c) a student in a licensed health care field
22     including, but not limited to, a student nurse, a physical
23     therapy student, or a respiratory care student unless he or
24     she is (i) employed by a health care employer in a position
25     with duties involving direct care for clients, patients, or

 

 

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1     residents or (ii) employed by a long-term care facility in
2     a position that involves or may involve contact with
3     residents or access to the living quarters or the
4     financial, medical, or personal records of residents.
5     (2) A UCIA criminal history records check need not be
6 redone by the University of Illinois Hospital, Chicago (U of I)
7 or a program funded by the Department on Aging through the
8 Community Care Program (CCP) if the U of I or the CCP: (i) has
9 done a UCIA check on the individual; (ii) has continuously
10 employed the individual since the UCIA criminal records check
11 was done; and (iii) has taken actions with respect to this Act
12 within 12 months after the effective date of this amendatory
13 Act of the 91st General Assembly.
14 (Source: P.A. 91-598, eff. 1-1-00.)
 
15     (225 ILCS 46/25)
16     Sec. 25. Persons ineligible to be hired by health care
17 employers and long-term care facilities.
18     (a) In the discretion of the Director of Public Health, as
19 soon after After January 1, 1996, January 1, 1997, January 1,
20 2006, or October 1, 2007 or the effective date of this
21 amendatory Act of the 94th General Assembly, as applicable, and
22 as is reasonably practical, no health care employer shall
23 knowingly hire, employ, or retain any individual in a position
24 with duties involving direct care for clients, patients, or
25 residents, and no long-term care facility shall knowingly hire,

 

 

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1 employ, or retain any individual in a position with duties that
2 involve or may involve contact with residents or access to the
3 living quarters or the financial, medical, or personal records
4 of residents, who has been convicted of committing or
5 attempting to commit one or more of the offenses defined in
6 Sections 8-1.1, 8-1.2, 9-1, 9-1.2, 9-2, 9-2.1, 9-3, 9-3.1,
7 9-3.2, 9-3.3, 10-1, 10-2, 10-3, 10-3.1, 10-4, 10-5, 10-7, 11-6,
8 11-9.1, 11-9.5, 11-19.2, 11-20.1, 12-1, 12-2, 12-3, 12-3.1,
9 12-3.2, 12-4, 12-4.1, 12-4.2, 12-4.3, 12-4.4, 12-4.5, 12-4.6,
10 12-4.7, 12-7.4, 12-11, 12-13, 12-14, 12-14.1, 12-15, 12-16,
11 12-19, 12-21, 12-21.6, 12-32, 12-33, 16-1, 16-1.3, 16A-3, 17-3,
12 18-1, 18-2, 18-3, 18-4, 18-5, 19-1, 19-3, 19-4, 20-1, 20-1.1,
13 24-1, 24-1.2, 24-1.5, or 33A-2 of the Criminal Code of 1961;
14 those provided in Section 4 of the Wrongs to Children Act;
15 those provided in Section 53 of the Criminal Jurisprudence Act;
16 those defined in Section 5, 5.1, 5.2, 7, or 9 of the Cannabis
17 Control Act; those defined in the Methamphetamine Control and
18 Community Protection Act; or those defined in Sections 401,
19 401.1, 404, 405, 405.1, 407, or 407.1 of the Illinois
20 Controlled Substances Act, unless the applicant or employee
21 obtains a waiver pursuant to Section 40.
22     (a-1) In the discretion of the Director of Public Health,
23 as soon after After January 1, 2004 or October 1, 2007, as
24 applicable, and as is reasonably practical, no health care
25 employer shall knowingly hire any individual in a position with
26 duties involving direct care for clients, patients, or

 

 

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1 residents, and no long-term care facility shall knowingly hire
2 any individual in a position with duties that involve or may
3 involve contact with residents or access to the living quarters
4 or the financial, medical, or personal records of residents,
5 who has (i) been convicted of committing or attempting to
6 commit one or more of the offenses defined in Section 12-3.3,
7 12-4.2-5, 16-2, 16G-15, 16G-20, 18-5, 20-1.2, 24-1.1,
8 24-1.2-5, 24-1.6, 24-3.2, or 24-3.3 of the Criminal Code of
9 1961; Section 4, 5, 6, 8, or 17.02 of the Illinois Credit Card
10 and Debit Card Act; or Section 5.1 of the Wrongs to Children
11 Act; or (ii) violated Section 10-5 of the Nursing and Advanced
12 Practice Nursing Act, unless the applicant or employee obtains
13 a waiver pursuant to Section 40 of this Act.
14     A UCIA criminal history record check need not be redone for
15 health care employees who have been continuously employed by a
16 health care employer since January 1, 2004, but nothing in this
17 Section prohibits a health care employer from initiating a
18 criminal history check for these employees.
19     A health care employer is not required to retain an
20 individual in a position with duties involving direct care for
21 clients, patients, or residents, and no long-term care facility
22 is required to retain an individual in a position with duties
23 that involve or may involve contact with residents or access to
24 the living quarters or the financial, medical, or personal
25 records of residents, who has been convicted of committing or
26 attempting to commit one or more of the offenses enumerated in

 

 

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1 this subsection.
2     (b) A health care employer shall not hire, employ, or
3 retain any individual in a position with duties involving
4 direct care of clients, patients, or residents, and no
5 long-term care facility shall knowingly hire, employ, or retain
6 any individual in a position with duties that involve or may
7 involve contact with residents or access to the living quarters
8 or the financial, medical, or personal records of residents, if
9 the health care employer becomes aware that the individual has
10 been convicted in another state of committing or attempting to
11 commit an offense that has the same or similar elements as an
12 offense listed in subsection (a) or (a-1), as verified by court
13 records, records from a state agency, or an FBI criminal
14 history record check, unless the applicant or employee obtains
15 a waiver pursuant to Section 40 of this Act. This shall not be
16 construed to mean that a health care employer has an obligation
17 to conduct a criminal history records check in other states in
18 which an employee has resided.
19 (Source: P.A. 93-224, eff. 7-18-03; 94-556, eff. 9-11-05;
20 94-665, eff. 1-1-06; 94-1053, eff. 7-24-06.)
 
21     (225 ILCS 46/33 new)
22     Sec. 33. Fingerprint-based criminal history records check.
23     (a) A fingerprint-based criminal history records check is
24 not required for health care employees who have been
25 continuously employed by a health care employer since October

 

 

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1 1, 2007, have met the requirements for criminal history
2 background checks prior to October 1, 2007, and have no
3 disqualifying convictions or requested and received a waiver of
4 those disqualifying convictions. These employees shall be
5 retained on the Health Care Worker Registry as long as they
6 remain active. Nothing in this subsection (a) shall be
7 construed to prohibit a health care employer from initiating a
8 criminal history records check for these employees. Should
9 these employees seek a new position with a different health
10 care employer, then a fingerprint-based criminal history
11 records check shall be required.
12     (b) On October 1, 2007 or as soon thereafter as is
13 reasonably practical, in the discretion of the Director of
14 Public Health, and thereafter, any student, applicant, or
15 employee who desires to be included on the Department of Public
16 Health's Health Care Worker Registry must authorize the
17 Department of Public Health or its designee to request a
18 fingerprint-based criminal history records check to determine
19 if the individual has a conviction for a disqualifying offense.
20 This authorization shall allow the Department of Public Health
21 to request and receive information and assistance from any
22 State or local governmental agency. Each individual shall
23 submit his or her fingerprints to the Department of State
24 Police in an electronic format that complies with the form and
25 manner for requesting and furnishing criminal history record
26 information prescribed by the Department of State Police. The

 

 

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1 fingerprints submitted under this Section shall be checked
2 against the fingerprint records now and hereafter filed in the
3 Department of State Police criminal history record databases.
4 The Department of State Police shall charge a fee for
5 conducting the criminal history records check, which shall not
6 exceed the actual cost of the records check. The livescan
7 vendor may act as the designee for individuals, educational
8 entities, or health care employers in the collection of
9 Department of State Police fees and deposit those fees into the
10 State Police Services Fund. The Department of State Police
11 shall provide information concerning any criminal convictions,
12 now or hereafter filed, against the individual.
13     (c) On October 1, 2007 or as soon thereafter as is
14 reasonably practical, in the discretion of the Director of
15 Public Health, and thereafter, an educational entity, other
16 than a secondary school, conducting a nurse aide training
17 program must initiate a fingerprint-based criminal history
18 records check requested by the Department of Public Health
19 prior to entry of an individual into the training program.
20     (d) On October 1, 2007 or as soon thereafter as is
21 reasonably practical, in the discretion of the Director of
22 Public Health, and thereafter, a health care employer who makes
23 a conditional offer of employment to an applicant for a
24 position as an employee must initiate a fingerprint-based
25 criminal history record check, requested by the Department of
26 Public Health, on the applicant, if such a background check has

 

 

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1 not been previously conducted.
2     (e) When initiating a background check requested by the
3 Department of Public Health, an educational entity or health
4 care employer shall electronically submit to the Department of
5 Public Health the student's, applicant's, or employee's social
6 security number, demographics, disclosure, and authorization
7 information in a format prescribed by the Department of Public
8 Health within 2 working days after the authorization is
9 secured. The student, applicant, or employee must have his or
10 her fingerprints collected electronically and transmitted to
11 the Department of State Police within 10 working days. The
12 educational entity or health care employer must transmit all
13 necessary information and fees to the livescan vendor and
14 Department of State Police within 10 working days after receipt
15 of the authorization. This information and the results of the
16 criminal history record checks shall be maintained by the
17 Department of Public Health's Health Care Worker Registry.
18     (f) A direct care employer may initiate a fingerprint-based
19 background check requested by the Department of Public Health
20 for any of its employees, but may not use this process to
21 initiate background checks for residents. The results of any
22 fingerprint-based background check that is initiated with the
23 Department as the requestor shall be entered in the Health Care
24 Worker Registry.
25     (g) As long as the employee has had a fingerprint-based
26 criminal history record check requested by the Department of

 

 

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1 Public Health and stays active on the Health Care Worker
2 Registry, no further criminal history record checks shall be
3 deemed necessary, as the Department of State Police shall
4 notify the Department of Public Health of any additional
5 convictions associated with the fingerprints previously
6 submitted. Health care employers are required to check the
7 Health Care Worker Registry before hiring an employee to
8 determine that the individual has had a fingerprint-based
9 record check requested by the Department of Public Health and
10 has no disqualifying convictions or has been granted a waiver
11 pursuant to Section 40 of this Act. If the individual has not
12 had such a background check or is not active on the Health Care
13 Worker Registry, then the health care employer must initiate a
14 fingerprint-based record check requested by the Department of
15 Public Health. If an individual is inactive on the Health Care
16 Worker Registry, that individual is prohibited from being hired
17 to work as a certified nurse aide if, since the individual's
18 most recent completion of a competency test, there has been a
19 period of 24 consecutive months during which the individual has
20 not provided nursing or nursing-related services for pay. If
21 the individual can provide proof of having retained his or her
22 certification by not having a 24 consecutive month break in
23 service for pay, he or she may be hired as a certified nurse
24 aide and that employment information shall be entered into the
25 Health Care Worker Registry.
26     (h) On October 1, 2007 or as soon thereafter as is

 

 

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1 reasonably practical, in the discretion of the Director of
2 Public Health, and thereafter, if the Department of State
3 Police notifies the Department of Public Health that an
4 employee has a new conviction of a disqualifying offense, based
5 upon the fingerprints that were previously submitted, then (i)
6 the Health Care Worker Registry shall notify the employee's
7 last known employer of the offense, (ii) a record of the
8 employee's disqualifying offense shall be entered on the Health
9 Care Worker Registry, and (iii) the individual shall no longer
10 be eligible to work as an employee unless he or she obtains a
11 waiver pursuant to Section 40 of this Act.
12     (i) On October 1, 2007, or as soon thereafter, in the
13 discretion of the Director of Public Health, as is reasonably
14 practical, and thereafter, each direct care employer or its
15 designee must provide an employment verification for each
16 employee no less than annually. The direct care employer or its
17 designee must log into the Health Care Worker Registry through
18 a secure login. The health care employer or its designee must
19 indicate employment and termination dates within 30 days after
20 hiring or terminating an employee, as well as the employment
21 category and type. Failure to comply with this subsection (i)
22 constitutes a licensing violation. For health care employers
23 that are not licensed or certified, a fine of up to $500 may be
24 imposed for failure to maintain these records. This information
25 shall be used by the Department of Public Health to notify the
26 last known employer of any disqualifying offenses that are

 

 

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1 reported by the Department of State Police.
2     (j) The Department of Public Health shall notify each
3 health care employer or long-term care facility inquiring as to
4 the information on the Health Care Worker Registry if the
5 applicant or employee listed on the registry has a
6 disqualifying offense and is therefore ineligible to work or
7 has a waiver pursuant to Section 40 of this Act.
8     (k) The student, applicant, or employee must be notified of
9 each of the following whenever a fingerprint-based criminal
10 history records check is required:
11         (1) That the educational entity, health care employer,
12     or long-term care facility shall initiate a
13     fingerprint-based criminal history record check requested
14     by the Department of Public Health of the student,
15     applicant, or employee pursuant to this Act.
16         (2) That the student, applicant, or employee has a
17     right to obtain a copy of the criminal records report that
18     indicates a conviction for a disqualifying offense and
19     challenge the accuracy and completeness of the report
20     through an established Department of State Police
21     procedure of Access and Review.
22         (3) That the applicant, if hired conditionally, may be
23     terminated if the criminal records report indicates that
24     the applicant has a record of a conviction of any of the
25     criminal offenses enumerated in Section 25, unless the
26     applicant obtains a waiver pursuant to Section 40 of this

 

 

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1     Act.
2         (4) That the applicant, if not hired conditionally,
3     shall not be hired if the criminal records report indicates
4     that the applicant has a record of a conviction of any of
5     the criminal offenses enumerated in Section 25, unless the
6     applicant obtains a waiver pursuant to Section 40 of this
7     Act.
8         (5) That the employee shall be terminated if the
9     criminal records report indicates that the employee has a
10     record of a conviction of any of the criminal offenses
11     enumerated in Section 25.
12         (6) If, after the employee has originally been
13     determined not to have disqualifying offenses, the
14     employer is notified that the employee has a new
15     conviction(s) of any of the criminal offenses enumerated in
16     Section 25, then the employee shall be terminated.
17     (l) A health care employer or long-term care facility may
18 conditionally employ an applicant for up to 3 months pending
19 the results of a fingerprint-based criminal history record
20 check requested by the Department of Public Health.
21     (m) The Department of Public Health or an entity
22 responsible for inspecting, licensing, certifying, or
23 registering the health care employer or long-term care facility
24 shall be immune from liability for notices given based on the
25 results of a fingerprint-based criminal history record check.
 

 

 

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1     (225 ILCS 46/40)
2     Sec. 40. Waiver.
3     (a) Any student, applicant, or employee listed on the
4 Health Care Worker Registry An applicant, employee, or nurse
5 aide may request a waiver of the prohibition against employment
6 by submitting the following information to the entity
7 responsible for inspecting, licensing, certifying, or
8 registering the health care employer within 5 working days
9 after the receipt of the criminal records report:
10         (1) completing a waiver application on a form
11     prescribed by the Department of Public Health; Information
12     necessary to initiate a fingerprint-based UCIA criminal
13     records check in a form and manner prescribed by the
14     Department of State Police; and
15         (2) providing a written explanation of each conviction
16     to include (i) what happened, (ii) how many years have
17     passed since the offense, (iii) the individuals involved,
18     (iv) the age of the applicant at the time of the offense,
19     and (v) any other circumstances surrounding the offense;
20     and
21         (3) providing official documentation showing that all
22     fines have been paid, if applicable, and the date probation
23     or parole was satisfactorily completed, if applicable. The
24     fee for a fingerprint-based UCIA criminal records check,
25     which shall not exceed the actual cost of the record check.
26     (a-5) The entity responsible for inspecting, licensing,

 

 

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1 certifying, or registering the health care employer may accept
2 the results of the fingerprint-based UCIA criminal records
3 check instead of the items required by paragraphs (1) and (2)
4 of subsection (a).
5     (b) The applicant may, but is not required to, submit
6 employment and character references and any other evidence
7 demonstrating the ability of the applicant or employee to
8 perform the employment responsibilities competently and
9 evidence that the applicant or employee does not pose a threat
10 to the health or safety of residents, patients, or clients. The
11 entity responsible for inspecting, licensing, certifying, or
12 registering the health care employer may grant a waiver based
13 upon any mitigating circumstances, which may include, but need
14 not be limited to:
15         (1) The age of the individual at which the crime was
16     committed;
17         (2) The circumstances surrounding the crime;
18         (3) The length of time since the conviction;
19         (4) The applicant or employee's criminal history since
20     the conviction;
21         (5) The applicant or employee's work history;
22         (6) The applicant or employee's current employment
23     references;
24         (7) The applicant or employee's character references;
25         (8) Nurse aide registry records; and
26         (9) Other evidence demonstrating the ability of the

 

 

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1     applicant or employee to perform the employment
2     responsibilities competently and evidence that the
3     applicant or employee does not pose a threat to the health
4     or safety of residents, patients, or clients.
5     (c) The Department of Public Health entity responsible for
6 inspecting, licensing, certifying, or registering a health
7 care employer must inform the health care employer must inform
8 health care employers if a waiver is being sought by entering a
9 record on the Health Care Worker Registry that a waiver is
10 pending and must act upon the waiver request within 30 days of
11 receipt of all necessary information, as defined by rule.
12 Except in cases where a rehabilitation waiver is granted, a
13 letter shall be sent to the applicant notifying the applicant
14 that he or she has received an automatic waiver.
15     (d) An individual shall not be employed from the time that
16 the employer receives a notification from the Department of
17 Public Health based upon the results of a fingerprint-based
18 criminal history records non-fingerprint check containing
19 disqualifying conditions until the time that the individual
20 receives a waiver from the Department. If the individual
21 challenges the results of the non-fingerprint check, the
22 employer may continue to employ the individual if the
23 individual presents convincing evidence to the employer that
24 the non-fingerprint check is invalid. If the individual
25 challenges the results of the non-fingerprint check, his or her
26 identity shall be validated by a fingerprint-based records

 

 

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1 check in accordance with Section 35.
2     (e) The entity responsible for inspecting, licensing,
3 certifying, or registering the health care employer and the
4 Department of Public Health shall be immune from liability for
5 any waivers granted under this Section.
6     (f) A health care employer is not obligated to employ or
7 offer permanent employment to an applicant, or to retain an
8 employee who is granted a waiver under this Section.
9 (Source: P.A. 94-665, eff. 1-1-06.)
 
10     (225 ILCS 46/45)
11     Sec. 45. Application fees. Except as otherwise provided in
12 this Act, the student, applicant, or employee, other than a
13 nurse aide, may be required to pay all related application and
14 fingerprinting fees including, but not limited to, the amounts
15 established by the UCIA to conduct UCIA criminal history record
16 checks and the amounts established by the Department of State
17 Police to process fingerprint-based UCIA criminal history
18 records checks. If a health care employer certified to
19 participate in the Medicaid program pays the fees, the fees
20 shall be a direct pass-through on the cost report submitted by
21 the employer to the Medicaid agency.
22 (Source: P.A. 89-197, eff. 7-21-95.)
 
23     (225 ILCS 46/50)
24     Sec. 50. Health care employer files. The health care

 

 

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1 employer shall retain on file for a period of 5 years records
2 of criminal records requests for all employees. The health care
3 employer shall retain a copy of the disclosure and
4 authorization forms, a copy of the livescan request form, all
5 notifications resulting from the results of the UCIA
6 fingerprint-based criminal history records check and waiver,
7 if appropriate, for the duration of the individual's
8 employment. The files shall be subject to inspection by the
9 agency responsible for inspecting, licensing, or certifying
10 the health care employer. A fine of up to $500 may be imposed
11 by the appropriate agency for failure to maintain these
12 records. The Department of Public Health must keep an
13 electronic record of criminal history background checks for an
14 individual for as long as the individual remains active on the
15 Health Care Worker Registry.
16 (Source: P.A. 89-197, eff. 7-21-95; 89-674, eff. 8-14-96.)
 
17     (225 ILCS 46/55)
18     Sec. 55. Immunity from liability. A health care employer
19 shall not be liable for the failure to hire or to retain an
20 applicant or employee who has been convicted of committing or
21 attempting to commit one or more of the offenses enumerated in
22 subsection (a) of Section 25 of this Act. However, if an
23 employee a health care worker is suspended from employment
24 based on the results of a criminal background check conducted
25 under this Act and the results prompting the suspension are

 

 

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1 subsequently found to be inaccurate, the employee health care
2 worker is entitled to recover backpay from his or her health
3 care employer for the suspension period provided that the
4 employer is the cause of the inaccuracy. The Department of
5 Public Health is not liable for any hiring decisions,
6 suspensions, or terminations.
7     No health care employer shall be chargeable for any benefit
8 charges that result from the payment of unemployment benefits
9 to any claimant when the claimant's separation from that
10 employer occurred because the claimant's criminal background
11 included an offense enumerated in subsection (a) of Section 25,
12 or the claimant's separation from that health care employer
13 occurred as a result of the claimant violating a policy that
14 the employer was required to maintain pursuant to the Drug Free
15 Workplace Act.
16 (Source: P.A. 90-441, eff. 1-1-98; 91-598, eff. 1-1-00.)
 
17     (225 ILCS 46/60)
18     Sec. 60. Offense.
19     (a) Any person whose profession is job counseling who
20 knowingly counsels any person who has been convicted of
21 committing or attempting to commit any of the offenses
22 enumerated in subsection (a) of Section 25 to apply for a
23 position with duties involving direct contact with a client,
24 patient, or resident of a health care employer or a position
25 with duties that involve or may involve contact with residents

 

 

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1 or access to the living quarters or the financial, medical, or
2 personal records of residents of a long-term care facility
3 shall be guilty of a Class A misdemeanor unless a waiver is
4 granted pursuant to Section 40 of this Act.
5     (b) Subsection (a) does not apply to an individual
6 performing official duties in connection with the
7 administration of the State employment service described in
8 Section 1705 of the Unemployment Insurance Act.
9 (Source: P.A. 91-598, eff. 1-1-00.)
 
10     (225 ILCS 46/25.1 rep.)
11     (225 ILCS 46/30 rep.)
12     (225 ILCS 46/35 rep.)
13     Section 10. The Health Care Worker Background Check Act is
14 amended by repealing Sections 25.1, 30, and 35.
 
15     Section 99. Effective date. This Act takes effect upon
16 becoming law.".