98TH GENERAL ASSEMBLY
State of Illinois
2013 and 2014
HB6299

 

Introduced , by Rep. Martin J. Moylan

 

SYNOPSIS AS INTRODUCED:
 
New Act
775 ILCS 5/2-102  from Ch. 68, par. 2-102

    Creates the Protection of Reproductive Health Care Decisions Act. Provides that an employer shall provide written notice to its employees and prospective employees regarding any applicable exclusions in contraceptive coverage the employer provides to its employees as part of the employee health insurance plan. Provides that the employer shall post the notice in conspicuous places on the premises of the employer. Defines "contraceptive coverage" as that portion of a health insurance policy that provides coverage for the cost of contraceptive drugs or devices approved by the federal Food and Drug Administration, or generic equivalents approved as substitutes by the Food and Drug Administration, under the prescription of a health care provider legally authorized to prescribe. Directs the Department of Labor to adopt rules to implement the new provisions. Amends the Illinois Human Rights Act. Provides that it is a civil rights violation 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 an individual's reproductive health care decisions.


LRB098 22245 HEP 61591 b

 

 

A BILL FOR

 

HB6299LRB098 22245 HEP 61591 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
5Protection of Reproductive Health Care Decisions Act.
 
6    Section 5. Contraceptive coverage notification.
7    (a) An employer shall provide written notice to its
8employees prior to substituting an employer-provided health
9insurance policy with another policy or that alters, restricts,
10or terminates contraceptive coverage. The notice shall be
11provided not less than 90 days prior to the substitution. If
12the employees are represented by a labor organization, the
13notice shall also be promptly provided to the representative of
14the labor organization. The employer shall provide a copy of
15the notice to the Director of Labor.
16    (b) An employer who is issued a health insurance policy
17that covers some or all of its employees shall provide notice
18to all persons who seek employment with the employer as to
19whether the policy includes contraceptive coverage. If the
20policy includes some, but not all, contraceptive drugs and
21devices or their generic equivalents approved by the federal
22Food and Drug Administration, the notice shall specify which
23drugs or devices are not included in the insurance coverage.

 

 

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1The notice shall be prominently displayed on the face of any
2written application for employment utilized by an employer or
3included on a separate written notice form to be provided to
4each person who receives the written application. If the
5employer maintains a publicly accessible webpage that provides
6information on prospective employment opportunities, the
7employer shall provide clear and conspicuous notice on the
8webpage as to whether the employer provides contraceptive
9coverage and, if so, whether the coverage includes some, but
10not all, contraceptive drugs and devices or their generic
11equivalent approved by the federal Food and Drug
12Administration.
13    (c) Every employer covered by this Act shall post and keep
14posted, in conspicuous places on the premises of the employer
15where notices to employees are customarily posted, a notice, to
16be approved by the Director of Labor, listing which
17contraceptive drugs or devices, if any, are excluded from
18employee health insurance policies.
19    (d) As used in this Act, "contraceptive coverage" means
20that portion of a health insurance policy that provides
21coverage for the cost of contraceptive drugs or devices
22approved by the federal Food and Drug Administration, or
23generic equivalents approved as substitutes by the Food and
24Drug Administration, under the prescription of a health care
25provider legally authorized to prescribe.
26    (e) The Department of Labor shall adopt rules to implement

 

 

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1this Section.
 
2    Section 10. The Illinois Human Rights Act is amended by
3changing Section 2-102 as follows:
 
4    (775 ILCS 5/2-102)  (from Ch. 68, par. 2-102)
5    (Text of Section after amendment by P.A. 98-1050)
6    Sec. 2-102. Civil Rights Violations - Employment. It is a
7civil rights violation:
8    (A) Employers. For any employer to refuse to hire, to
9segregate, or to act with respect to recruitment, hiring,
10promotion, renewal of employment, selection for training or
11apprenticeship, discharge, discipline, tenure or terms,
12privileges or conditions of employment on the basis of unlawful
13discrimination or citizenship status.
14    (A-5) Language. For an employer to impose a restriction
15that has the effect of prohibiting a language from being spoken
16by an employee in communications that are unrelated to the
17employee's duties.
18    For the purposes of this subdivision (A-5), "language"
19means a person's native tongue, such as Polish, Spanish, or
20Chinese. "Language" does not include such things as slang,
21jargon, profanity, or vulgarity.
22    (B) Employment Agency. For any employment agency to fail or
23refuse to classify properly, accept applications and register
24for employment referral or apprenticeship referral, refer for

 

 

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1employment, or refer for apprenticeship on the basis of
2unlawful discrimination or citizenship status or to accept from
3any person any job order, requisition or request for referral
4of applicants for employment or apprenticeship which makes or
5has the effect of making unlawful discrimination or
6discrimination on the basis of citizenship status a condition
7of referral.
8    (C) Labor Organization. For any labor organization to
9limit, segregate or classify its membership, or to limit
10employment opportunities, selection and training for
11apprenticeship in any trade or craft, or otherwise to take, or
12fail to take, any action which affects adversely any person's
13status as an employee or as an applicant for employment or as
14an apprentice, or as an applicant for apprenticeships, or
15wages, tenure, hours of employment or apprenticeship
16conditions on the basis of unlawful discrimination or
17citizenship status.
18    (D) Sexual Harassment. For any employer, employee, agent of
19any employer, employment agency or labor organization to engage
20in sexual harassment; provided, that an employer shall be
21responsible for sexual harassment of the employer's employees
22by nonemployees or nonmanagerial and nonsupervisory employees
23only if the employer becomes aware of the conduct and fails to
24take reasonable corrective measures.
25    (E) Public Employers. For any public employer to refuse to
26permit a public employee under its jurisdiction who takes time

 

 

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1off from work in order to practice his or her religious beliefs
2to engage in work, during hours other than such employee's
3regular working hours, consistent with the operational needs of
4the employer and in order to compensate for work time lost for
5such religious reasons. Any employee who elects such deferred
6work shall be compensated at the wage rate which he or she
7would have earned during the originally scheduled work period.
8The employer may require that an employee who plans to take
9time off from work in order to practice his or her religious
10beliefs provide the employer with a notice of his or her
11intention to be absent from work not exceeding 5 days prior to
12the date of absence.
13    (F) Training and Apprenticeship Programs. For any
14employer, employment agency or labor organization to
15discriminate against a person on the basis of age in the
16selection, referral for or conduct of apprenticeship or
17training programs.
18    (G) Immigration-Related Practices.
19        (1) for an employer to request for purposes of
20    satisfying the requirements of Section 1324a(b) of Title 8
21    of the United States Code, as now or hereafter amended,
22    more or different documents than are required under such
23    Section or to refuse to honor documents tendered that on
24    their face reasonably appear to be genuine; or
25        (2) for an employer participating in the E-Verify
26    Program, as authorized by 8 U.S.C. 1324a, Notes, Pilot

 

 

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1    Programs for Employment Eligibility Confirmation (enacted
2    by PL 104-208, div. C title IV, subtitle A) to refuse to
3    hire, to segregate, or to act with respect to recruitment,
4    hiring, promotion, renewal of employment, selection for
5    training or apprenticeship, discharge, discipline, tenure
6    or terms, privileges or conditions of employment without
7    following the procedures under the E-Verify Program.
8    (H) (Blank).
9    (I) Pregnancy. For an employer to refuse to hire, to
10segregate, or to act with respect to recruitment, hiring,
11promotion, renewal of employment, selection for training or
12apprenticeship, discharge, discipline, tenure or terms,
13privileges or conditions of employment on the basis of
14pregnancy, childbirth, or medical or common conditions related
15to pregnancy or childbirth. Women affected by pregnancy,
16childbirth, or medical or common conditions related to
17pregnancy or childbirth shall be treated the same for all
18employment-related purposes, including receipt of benefits
19under fringe benefit programs, as other persons not so affected
20but similar in their ability or inability to work, regardless
21of the source of the inability to work or employment
22classification or status.
23    (J) Pregnancy; reasonable accommodations.
24        (1) If after a job applicant or employee, including a
25    part-time, full-time, or probationary employee, requests a
26    reasonable accommodation, for an employer to not make

 

 

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1    reasonable accommodations for any medical or common
2    condition of a job applicant or employee related to
3    pregnancy or childbirth, unless the employer can
4    demonstrate that the accommodation would impose an undue
5    hardship on the ordinary operation of the business of the
6    employer. The employer may request documentation from the
7    employee's health care provider concerning the need for the
8    requested reasonable accommodation or accommodations to
9    the same extent documentation is requested for conditions
10    related to disability if the employer's request for
11    documentation is job-related and consistent with business
12    necessity. The employer may require only the medical
13    justification for the requested accommodation or
14    accommodations, a description of the reasonable
15    accommodation or accommodations medically advisable, the
16    date the reasonable accommodation or accommodations became
17    medically advisable, and the probable duration of the
18    reasonable accommodation or accommodations. It is the duty
19    of the individual seeking a reasonable accommodation or
20    accommodations to submit to the employer any documentation
21    that is requested in accordance with this paragraph.
22    Notwithstanding the provisions of this paragraph, the
23    employer may require documentation by the employee's
24    health care provider to determine compliance with other
25    laws. The employee and employer shall engage in a timely,
26    good faith, and meaningful exchange to determine effective

 

 

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1    reasonable accommodations.
2        (2) For an employer to deny employment opportunities or
3    benefits to or take adverse action against an otherwise
4    qualified job applicant or employee, including a
5    part-time, full-time, or probationary employee, if the
6    denial or adverse action is based on the need of the
7    employer to make reasonable accommodations to the known
8    medical or common conditions related to the pregnancy or
9    childbirth of the applicant or employee.
10        (3) For an employer to require a job applicant or
11    employee, including a part-time, full-time, or
12    probationary employee, affected by pregnancy, childbirth,
13    or medical or common conditions related to pregnancy or
14    childbirth to accept an accommodation when the applicant or
15    employee did not request an accommodation and the applicant
16    or employee chooses not to accept the employer's
17    accommodation.
18        (4) For an employer to require an employee, including a
19    part-time, full-time, or probationary employee, to take
20    leave under any leave law or policy of the employer if
21    another reasonable accommodation can be provided to the
22    known medical or common conditions related to the pregnancy
23    or childbirth of an employee. No employer shall fail or
24    refuse to reinstate the employee affected by pregnancy,
25    childbirth, or medical or common conditions related to
26    pregnancy or childbirth to her original job or to an

 

 

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1    equivalent position with equivalent pay and accumulated
2    seniority, retirement, fringe benefits, and other
3    applicable service credits upon her signifying her intent
4    to return or when her need for reasonable accommodation
5    ceases, unless the employer can demonstrate that the
6    accommodation would impose an undue hardship on the
7    ordinary operation of the business of the employer.
8    For the purposes of this subdivision (J), "reasonable
9accommodations" means reasonable modifications or adjustments
10to the job application process or work environment, or to the
11manner or circumstances under which the position desired or
12held is customarily performed, that enable an applicant or
13employee affected by pregnancy, childbirth, or medical or
14common conditions related to pregnancy or childbirth to be
15considered for the position the applicant desires or to perform
16the essential functions of that position, and may include, but
17is not limited to: more frequent or longer bathroom breaks,
18breaks for increased water intake, and breaks for periodic
19rest; private non-bathroom space for expressing breast milk and
20breastfeeding; seating; assistance with manual labor; light
21duty; temporary transfer to a less strenuous or hazardous
22position; the provision of an accessible worksite; acquisition
23or modification of equipment; job restructuring; a part-time or
24modified work schedule; appropriate adjustment or
25modifications of examinations, training materials, or
26policies; reassignment to a vacant position; time off to

 

 

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1recover from conditions related to childbirth; and leave
2necessitated by pregnancy, childbirth, or medical or common
3conditions resulting from pregnancy or childbirth.
4    For the purposes of this subdivision (J), "undue hardship"
5means an action that is prohibitively expensive or disruptive
6when considered in light of the following factors: (i) the
7nature and cost of the accommodation needed; (ii) the overall
8financial resources of the facility or facilities involved in
9the provision of the reasonable accommodation, the number of
10persons employed at the facility, the effect on expenses and
11resources, or the impact otherwise of the accommodation upon
12the operation of the facility; (iii) the overall financial
13resources of the employer, the overall size of the business of
14the employer with respect to the number of its employees, and
15the number, type, and location of its facilities; and (iv) the
16type of operation or operations of the employer, including the
17composition, structure, and functions of the workforce of the
18employer, the geographic separateness, administrative, or
19fiscal relationship of the facility or facilities in question
20to the employer. The employer has the burden of proving undue
21hardship. The fact that the employer provides or would be
22required to provide a similar accommodation to similarly
23situated employees creates a rebuttable presumption that the
24accommodation does not impose an undue hardship on the
25employer.
26    No employer is required by this subdivision (J) to create

 

 

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1additional employment that the employer would not otherwise
2have created, unless the employer does so or would do so for
3other classes of employees who need accommodation. The employer
4is not required to discharge any employee, transfer any
5employee with more seniority, or promote any employee who is
6not qualified to perform the job, unless the employer does so
7or would do so to accommodate other classes of employees who
8need it.
9    (J-5) Reproductive Health Care. For an employer to refuse
10to hire, to segregate, or to act with respect to recruitment,
11hiring, promotion, renewal of employment, selection for
12training or apprenticeship, discharge, discipline, tenure or
13terms, privileges or conditions of employment on the basis of
14an individual's reproductive health care decisions.
15    (K) Notice.
16        (1) For an employer to fail to post or keep posted in a
17    conspicuous location on the premises of the employer where
18    notices to employees are customarily posted, or fail to
19    include in any employee handbook information concerning an
20    employee's rights under this Article, a notice, to be
21    prepared or approved by the Department, summarizing the
22    requirements of this Article and information pertaining to
23    the filing of a charge, including the right to be free from
24    unlawful discrimination and the right to certain
25    reasonable accommodations. The Department shall make the
26    documents required under this paragraph available for

 

 

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1    retrieval from the Department's website.
2        (2) Upon notification of a violation of paragraph (1)
3    of this subdivision (K), the Department may launch a
4    preliminary investigation. If the Department finds a
5    violation, the Department may issue a notice to show cause
6    giving the employer 30 days to correct the violation. If
7    the violation is not corrected, the Department may initiate
8    a charge of a civil rights violation.
9(Source: P.A. 97-596, eff. 8-26-11; 98-212, eff. 8-9-13;
1098-1050, eff. 1-1-15.)