Public Act 0860 99TH GENERAL ASSEMBLY

SB3163 Enrolled LRB099 12727 SXM 36512 b

Public Act 099-0860

AN ACT concerning employment.

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

Section 1. Short title. This Act may be cited as the Illinois Freedom to Work Act.

Section 5. Definitions. In this Act:

"Covenant not to compete" means an agreement:

(1) between an employer and a low-wage employee that restricts such low-wage employee from performing:

(A) any work for another employer for a specified period of time;

(B) any work in a specified geographical area; or

(C) work for another employer that is similar to such low-wage employee's work for the employer included as a party to the agreement; and

(2) that is entered into after the effective date of this Act.

"Employer" has the meaning given to such term in subsection (c) of Section 3 of the Minimum Wage Law. "Employer" does not include governmental or quasi-governmental bodies.

"Low-wage employee" means an employee who earns the greater of (1) the hourly rate equal to the minimum wage required by the applicable federal, State, or local minimum wage law or (2) $13.00 per hour.

Section 10. Prohibiting covenants not to compete for low-wage employees.

(a) No employer shall enter into a covenant not to compete with any low-wage employee of the employer.

(b) A covenant not to compete entered into between an employer and a low-wage employee is illegal and void.