820 ILCS 115/11.5

(820 ILCS 115/11.5)

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

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

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

Beginning November 1, 2023, or as soon as is practical, and each November 1 thereafter, the Department shall report any moneys due to employees who cannot be located and that have been held by the Department in the Department of Labor Special State Trust Fund for 3 or more years and moneys due to employees who are deceased to the State Treasurer as required by the Revised Uniform Unclaimed Property Act. The Department shall not be required to provide the notice required under Section 15-501 of the Revised Uniform Unclaimed Property Act.

Beginning July 1, 2023, or as soon as is practical, and each July 1 thereafter, the Department shall direct the State Comptroller and State Treasurer to transfer from the Department of Labor Special State Trust Fund the balance of the moneys due to employees who cannot be located and that have been held by the Department in the Department of Labor Special State Trust Fund for 3 or more years and moneys due to employees who are deceased as follows: (i) 15% to the Wage Theft Enforcement Fund and (ii) 85% to the Unclaimed Property Trust Fund.

The Department may use moneys in the Wage Theft Enforcement Fund for the purposes described in Section 14 of the Illinois Wage Payment and Collection Act.

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

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

(Source: P.A. 103-182, eff. 6-30-23.)