98TH GENERAL ASSEMBLY
State of Illinois
2013 and 2014
HB2562

 

Introduced , by Rep. Thaddeus Jones

 

SYNOPSIS AS INTRODUCED:
 
30 ILCS 105/5.826 new
820 ILCS 40/12  from Ch. 48, par. 2012
820 ILCS 40/14 new
820 ILCS 40/15 new

    Amends the Personnel Record Review Act and the State Finance Act. Authorizes the Department of Labor to assess civil penalties under the Personnel Record Review Act. Provides for collection actions by the Attorney General. Provides that employers in violation are subject to a penalty of $250 plus $25 per day of violation. Creates the Personnel Records Enforcement Fund, a special fund in the State treasury. Authorizes the Department to use the moneys in the fund for administration of the Act.


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FISCAL NOTE ACT MAY APPLY

 

 

A BILL FOR

 

HB2562LRB098 07684 JLS 37757 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 5. The State Finance Act is amended by adding
5Section 5.826 as follows:
 
6    (30 ILCS 105/5.826 new)
7    Sec. 5.826. The Personnel Records Enforcement Fund.
 
8    Section 10. The Personnel Record Review Act is amended by
9changing Section 12 and adding Sections 14 and 15 as follows:
 
10    (820 ILCS 40/12)  (from Ch. 48, par. 2012)
11    Sec. 12. (a) The Director of Labor or his authorized
12representative shall administer and enforce the provisions of
13this Act. The Director of Labor may issue rules and regulations
14necessary to administer and enforce the provisions of this Act.
15    (b) If an employee alleges that he or she has been denied
16his or her rights under this Act, he or she may file a
17complaint with the Department of Labor. The Department shall
18investigate the complaint and shall have authority to request
19the issuance of a search warrant or subpoena to inspect the
20files of the employer, if necessary. The Department shall
21attempt to resolve the complaint by conference, conciliation,

 

 

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1or persuasion. If the complaint is not so resolved and the
2Department finds the employer has violated the Act, the
3Department may assess any civil penalty allowed by this Act.
4The civil penalties assessed by the Department shall be
5recoverable in an action brought in the name of the people of
6the State of Illinois by the Attorney General.
7    (b-5) If an employer violates this Act, the Department may
8commence an action in the circuit court to enforce the
9provisions of this Act including an action to compel
10compliance. The circuit court for the county in which the
11complainant resides, in which the complainant is employed, or
12in which the personnel record is maintained shall have
13jurisdiction in such actions.
14    (c) If an employer violates this Act, an employee may
15commence an action in the circuit court to enforce the
16provisions of this Act, including actions to compel compliance,
17where efforts to resolve the employee's complaint concerning
18such violation by conference, conciliation or persuasion
19pursuant to subsection (b) have failed and the Department has
20not commenced an action in circuit court to redress such
21violation. The circuit court for the county in which the
22complainant resides, in which the complainant is employed, or
23in which the personnel record is maintained shall have
24jurisdiction in such actions.
25    (d) Failure to comply with an order of the court may be
26punished as contempt. In addition, the court shall award an

 

 

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1employee prevailing in an action pursuant to this Act the
2following damages:
3    (1) Actual damages plus costs.
4    (2) For a willful and knowing violation of this Act, $200
5plus costs, reasonable attorney's fees, and actual damages.
6    (e) Any employer or his agent who violates the provisions
7of this Act is guilty of a petty offense.
8    (f) Any employer or his agent, or the officer or agent of
9any private employer, who discharges or in any other manner
10discriminates against any employee because that employee has
11made a complaint to his employer, or to the Director or his
12authorized representative, or because that employee has caused
13to be instituted or is about to cause to be instituted any
14proceeding under or related to this Act, or because that
15employee has testified or is about to testify in an
16investigation or proceeding under this Act, is guilty of a
17petty offense.
18(Source: P.A. 84-525.)
 
19    (820 ILCS 40/14 new)
20    Sec. 14. Penalties. An employer or entity that violates any
21of the provisions of this Act or any rule adopted under this
22Act shall be subject to a civil penalty of $250, plus $25 per
23day for each day the violation continues. The amount of the
24penalty may be recovered in a civil action filed in any circuit
25court by the Director of Labor or a person aggrieved by a

 

 

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1violation of this Act or any rule adopted under this Act. Any
2uncollected amount shall be subject to the provisions of the
3Illinois State Collection Act of 1986.
 
4    (820 ILCS 40/15 new)
5    Sec. 15. Personnel Records Enforcement Fund. All moneys
6received by the Department as civil penalties under this Act
7shall be deposited into the Personnel Records Enforcement Fund,
8a special fund created in the State treasury. Moneys in the
9Fund shall be used, subject to appropriation by the General
10Assembly, by the Department for administration, investigation,
11and other expenses incurred in carrying out its powers and
12duties under this Act. The Department shall hire as many
13investigators and other personnel as may be necessary to carry
14out the purposes of this Act. Any moneys in the Fund at the end
15of a fiscal year in excess of those moneys necessary for the
16Department to carry out its powers and duties under this Act
17shall be available to the Department for the next fiscal year
18for any of the Department's duties and may be transferred from
19the Personnel Records Enforcement Fund to the various accounts
20available to the Department, as needed.