HB2181 101ST GENERAL ASSEMBLY

LRB101 07039 LNS 52075 b

101ST GENERAL ASSEMBLY
State of Illinois
2019 and 2020
HB2181

Introduced , by Rep. Anne Stava-Murray

SYNOPSIS AS INTRODUCED:

775 ILCS 5/2-102

from Ch. 68, par. 2-102

Amends the Illinois Human Rights Act. Provides that it is a civil rights violation for an employer with 50 or more employees to: require an employee to sign a nondisclosure agreement if the employee is leaving his or her employment due to sexual harassment or assault; or fail to sign a nondisclosure agreement regarding the employee leaving his or her employment due to sexual harassment or assault. Provides that an employee may waive, in writing, the provisions of the employer's nondisclosure agreement for the purposes of commenting to a journalist. Provides that an employer that violates the provisions is subject to a $25,000 penalty and that the Department of Human Rights, after an investigation, may increase the amount of the penalty depending on the grievance of the violation. Effective immediately.

A BILL FOR

AN ACT concerning human rights.

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

Section 5. The Illinois Human Rights Act is amended by changing Section 2-102 as follows:

(775 ILCS 5/2-102) (from Ch. 68, par. 2-102)

Sec. 2-102. Civil rights violations - employment. It is a civil rights violation:

(A) Employers. For any employer to refuse to hire, to segregate, or to act with respect to recruitment, hiring, promotion, renewal of employment, selection for training or apprenticeship, discharge, discipline, tenure or terms, privileges or conditions of employment on the basis of unlawful discrimination or citizenship status.

(A-5) Language. For an employer to impose a restriction that has the effect of prohibiting a language from being spoken by an employee in communications that are unrelated to the employee's duties.

For the purposes of this subdivision (A-5), "language" means a person's native tongue, such as Polish, Spanish, or Chinese. "Language" does not include such things as slang, jargon, profanity, or vulgarity.

(B) Employment agency. For any employment agency to fail or refuse to classify properly, accept applications and register for employment referral or apprenticeship referral, refer for employment, or refer for apprenticeship on the basis of unlawful discrimination or citizenship status or to accept from any person any job order, requisition or request for referral of applicants for employment or apprenticeship which makes or has the effect of making unlawful discrimination or discrimination on the basis of citizenship status a condition of referral.

(C) Labor organization. For any labor organization to limit, segregate or classify its membership, or to limit employment opportunities, selection and training for apprenticeship in any trade or craft, or otherwise to take, or fail to take, any action which affects adversely any person's status as an employee or as an applicant for employment or as an apprentice, or as an applicant for apprenticeships, or wages, tenure, hours of employment or apprenticeship conditions on the basis of unlawful discrimination or citizenship status.

(D) Sexual harassment. For any employer, employee, agent of any employer, employment agency or labor organization to engage in sexual harassment; provided, that an employer shall be responsible for sexual harassment of the employer's employees by nonemployees or nonmanagerial and nonsupervisory employees only if the employer becomes aware of the conduct and fails to take reasonable corrective measures.

(E) Public employers. For any public employer to refuse to permit a public employee under its jurisdiction who takes time off from work in order to practice his or her religious beliefs to engage in work, during hours other than such employee's regular working hours, consistent with the operational needs of the employer and in order to compensate for work time lost for such religious reasons. Any employee who elects such deferred work shall be compensated at the wage rate which he or she would have earned during the originally scheduled work period. The employer may require that an employee who plans to take time off from work in order to practice his or her religious beliefs provide the employer with a notice of his or her intention to be absent from work not exceeding 5 days prior to the date of absence.

(E-5) Religious discrimination. For any employer to impose upon a person as a condition of obtaining or retaining employment, including opportunities for promotion, advancement, or transfer, any terms or conditions that would require such person to violate or forgo a sincerely held practice of his or her religion including, but not limited to, the wearing of any attire, clothing, or facial hair in accordance with the requirements of his or her religion, unless, after engaging in a bona fide effort, the employer demonstrates that it is unable to reasonably accommodate the employee's or prospective employee's sincerely held religious belief, practice, or observance without undue hardship on the conduct of the employer's business.

Nothing in this Section prohibits an employer from enacting a dress code or grooming policy that may include restrictions on attire, clothing, or facial hair to maintain workplace safety or food sanitation.

(F) Training and apprenticeship programs. For any employer, employment agency or labor organization to discriminate against a person on the basis of age in the selection, referral for or conduct of apprenticeship or training programs.

(G) Immigration-related practices.

(1) for an employer to request for purposes of satisfying the requirements of Section 1324a(b) of Title 8 of the United States Code, as now or hereafter amended, more or different documents than are required under such Section or to refuse to honor documents tendered that on their face reasonably appear to be genuine; or

(2) for an employer participating in the E-Verify Program, as authorized by 8 U.S.C. 1324a, Notes, Pilot Programs for Employment Eligibility Confirmation (enacted by PL 104-208, div. C title IV, subtitle A) to refuse to hire, to segregate, or to act with respect to recruitment, hiring, promotion, renewal of employment, selection for training or apprenticeship, discharge, discipline, tenure or terms, privileges or conditions of employment without following the procedures under the E-Verify Program.

(H) (Blank).

(I) Pregnancy. For an employer to refuse to hire, to segregate, or to act with respect to recruitment, hiring, promotion, renewal of employment, selection for training or apprenticeship, discharge, discipline, tenure or terms, privileges or conditions of employment on the basis of pregnancy, childbirth, or medical or common conditions related to pregnancy or childbirth. Women affected by pregnancy, childbirth, or medical or common conditions related to pregnancy or childbirth shall be treated the same for all employment-related purposes, including receipt of benefits under fringe benefit programs, as other persons not so affected but similar in their ability or inability to work, regardless of the source of the inability to work or employment classification or status.

(J) Pregnancy; reasonable accommodations.

(1) If after a job applicant or employee, including a part-time, full-time, or probationary employee, requests a reasonable accommodation, for an employer to not make reasonable accommodations for any medical or common condition of a job applicant or employee related to pregnancy or childbirth, unless the employer can demonstrate that the accommodation would impose an undue hardship on the ordinary operation of the business of the employer. The employer may request documentation from the employee's health care provider concerning the need for the requested reasonable accommodation or accommodations to the same extent documentation is requested for conditions related to disability if the employer's request for documentation is job-related and consistent with business necessity. The employer may require only the medical justification for the requested accommodation or accommodations, a description of the reasonable accommodation or accommodations medically advisable, the date the reasonable accommodation or accommodations became medically advisable, and the probable duration of the reasonable accommodation or accommodations. It is the duty of the individual seeking a reasonable accommodation or accommodations to submit to the employer any documentation that is requested in accordance with this paragraph. Notwithstanding the provisions of this paragraph, the employer may require documentation by the employee's health care provider to determine compliance with other laws. The employee and employer shall engage in a timely, good faith, and meaningful exchange to determine effective reasonable accommodations.

(2) For an employer to deny employment opportunities or benefits to or take adverse action against an otherwise qualified job applicant or employee, including a part-time, full-time, or probationary employee, if the denial or adverse action is based on the need of the employer to make reasonable accommodations to the known medical or common conditions related to the pregnancy or childbirth of the applicant or employee.

(3) For an employer to require a job applicant or employee, including a part-time, full-time, or probationary employee, affected by pregnancy, childbirth, or medical or common conditions related to pregnancy or childbirth to accept an accommodation when the applicant or employee did not request an accommodation and the applicant or employee chooses not to accept the employer's accommodation.

(4) For an employer to require an employee, including a part-time, full-time, or probationary employee, to take leave under any leave law or policy of the employer if another reasonable accommodation can be provided to the known medical or common conditions related to the pregnancy or childbirth of an employee. No employer shall fail or refuse to reinstate the employee affected by pregnancy, childbirth, or medical or common conditions related to pregnancy or childbirth to her original job or to an equivalent position with equivalent pay and accumulated seniority, retirement, fringe benefits, and other applicable service credits upon her signifying her intent to return or when her need for reasonable accommodation ceases, unless the employer can demonstrate that the accommodation would impose an undue hardship on the ordinary operation of the business of the employer.

For the purposes of this subdivision (J), "reasonable accommodations" means reasonable modifications or adjustments to the job application process or work environment, or to the manner or circumstances under which the position desired or held is customarily performed, that enable an applicant or employee affected by pregnancy, childbirth, or medical or common conditions related to pregnancy or childbirth to be considered for the position the applicant desires or to perform the essential functions of that position, and may include, but is not limited to: more frequent or longer bathroom breaks, breaks for increased water intake, and breaks for periodic rest; private non-bathroom space for expressing breast milk and breastfeeding; seating; assistance with manual labor; light duty; temporary transfer to a less strenuous or hazardous position; the provision of an accessible worksite; acquisition or modification of equipment; job restructuring; a part-time or modified work schedule; appropriate adjustment or modifications of examinations, training materials, or policies; reassignment to a vacant position; time off to recover from conditions related to childbirth; and leave necessitated by pregnancy, childbirth, or medical or common conditions resulting from pregnancy or childbirth.

For the purposes of this subdivision (J), "undue hardship" means an action that is prohibitively expensive or disruptive when considered in light of the following factors: (i) the nature and cost of the accommodation needed; (ii) the overall financial resources of the facility or facilities involved in the provision of the reasonable accommodation, the number of persons employed at the facility, the effect on expenses and resources, or the impact otherwise of the accommodation upon the operation of the facility; (iii) the overall financial resources of the employer, the overall size of the business of the employer with respect to the number of its employees, and the number, type, and location of its facilities; and (iv) the type of operation or operations of the employer, including the composition, structure, and functions of the workforce of the employer, the geographic separateness, administrative, or fiscal relationship of the facility or facilities in question to the employer. The employer has the burden of proving undue hardship. The fact that the employer provides or would be required to provide a similar accommodation to similarly situated employees creates a rebuttable presumption that the accommodation does not impose an undue hardship on the employer.

No employer is required by this subdivision (J) to create additional employment that the employer would not otherwise have created, unless the employer does so or would do so for other classes of employees who need accommodation. The employer is not required to discharge any employee, transfer any employee with more seniority, or promote any employee who is not qualified to perform the job, unless the employer does so or would do so to accommodate other classes of employees who need it.

(K) Notice.

(1) For an employer to fail to post or keep posted in a conspicuous location on the premises of the employer where notices to employees are customarily posted, or fail to include in any employee handbook information concerning an employee's rights under this Article, a notice, to be prepared or approved by the Department, summarizing the requirements of this Article and information pertaining to the filing of a charge, including the right to be free from unlawful discrimination, the right to be free from sexual harassment, and the right to certain reasonable accommodations. The Department shall make the documents required under this paragraph available for retrieval from the Department's website.

(2) Upon notification of a violation of paragraph (1) of this subdivision (K), the Department may launch a preliminary investigation. If the Department finds a violation, the Department may issue a notice to show cause giving the employer 30 days to correct the violation. If the violation is not corrected, the Department may initiate a charge of a civil rights violation.

(L) Nondisclosure agreements. For an employer with 50 or more employees to:

(1) Require an employee to sign a nondisclosure agreement if the employee is leaving his or her employment due to sexual harassment or assault.

(2) Fail to sign a nondisclosure agreement regarding the employee leaving his or her employment due to sexual harassment or assault. An employee may waive, in writing, the provisions of the employer's nondisclosure agreement for the purposes of commenting to a journalist.

In addition to any other remedies available under this Act, an employer that violates this subdivision (L) is subject to a $25,000 penalty. The Department, after an investigation, may increase the amount of the penalty depending on the scale of the grievance of the violation.

(Source: P.A. 100-100, eff. 8-11-17; 100-588, eff. 6-8-18.)

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