101ST GENERAL ASSEMBLY
State of Illinois
2019 and 2020
HB0905

 

Introduced , by Rep. Jennifer Gong-Gershowitz

 

SYNOPSIS AS INTRODUCED:
 
New Act

    Creates the Private Sector Workplace Anti-Harassment Task Force Act. Creates the Private Sector Workplace Anti-Harassment Task Force. Provides that the Task Force shall create model policies and best practices to keep workplaces safe from sexual harassment. Provides that the Department of Human Rights shall provide administrative support to the Task Force. Provides that the model policies and best practices shall be finalized by March 1, 2020 and posted on the Department of Human Rights' website within 30 days after finalization. Repeals the Act on March 1, 2021. Effective immediately.


LRB101 05889 LNS 50910 b

 

 

A BILL FOR

 

HB0905LRB101 05889 LNS 50910 b

1    AN ACT concerning human rights.
 
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
5Private Sector Workplace Anti-Harassment Task Force Act.
 
6    Section 5. Legislative intent. It is the General Assembly's
7intent to facilitate the development of model policies and best
8practices to keep workplaces safe from sexual harassment and
9encourage employers not only to adopt such policies and
10practices, but also to be included in their development. These
11include, but are not limited to, policies and practices that go
12beyond strict legal prohibitions focusing on creating a work
13environment that is free from harassment in any form.
14    The Private Sector Workplace Anti-Harassment Task Force
15shall focus on vulnerable and underserved persons in the
16private sector who may be at higher risk of sexual harassment
17on the job for reasons including, but not limited to, race,
18immigration status, gender nonconformity, sexual orientation,
19nontraditional employment relationships, minimum-wage or
20tipped work, service industry work, or work in traditionally
21male-dominated fields.
 
22    Section 10. The Private Sector Workplace Anti-Harassment

 

 

HB0905- 2 -LRB101 05889 LNS 50910 b

1Task Force.
2    (a) The Private Sector Workplace Anti-Harassment Task
3Force is created and shall include the following members:
4        (1) the chief legal counsel for the Department of Human
5    Rights, or his or her designee;
6        (2) 2 State representatives from the majority party,
7    appointed by the Speaker of the House;
8        (3) 2 State representatives from the minority party,
9    appointed by the Minority Leader of the House;
10        (4) 2 State senators from the majority party, appointed
11    by the President of the Senate;
12        (5) 2 State senators from the minority party, appointed
13    by the Minority Leader of the Senate;
14        (6) a representative from the business community;
15        (7) a representative from a statewide organization
16    representing manufacturers;
17        (8) a representative from a statewide organization
18    representing retail merchants;
19        (9) a representative from an organization advocating
20    for persons who have experienced sexual harassment;
21        (10) a representative from a statewide organization
22    advocating for survivors of sexual assault or domestic
23    violence;
24        (11) a representative from the food service industry;
25        (12) a representative from an organization
26    representing trade unions;

 

 

HB0905- 3 -LRB101 05889 LNS 50910 b

1        (13) a representative from an organization
2    representing lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer or
3    questioning, intersex, and asexual or allied persons;
4        (14) a representative from an organization
5    representing immigrants;
6        (15) a representative from an organization focused on
7    the advancement of minorities in the workplace; and
8        (16) a representative from an organization
9    representing minimum-wage or tipped workers.
10    (b) The Task Force shall create model policies and best
11practices to keep workplaces safe from sexual harassment that
12may include, but are not limited to:
13        (1) methods of creating and protecting internal
14    anonymous reporting channels for employees to raise
15    concerns about misconduct;
16        (2) how to protect against retaliation for persons
17    alleging harassment and those who participate in
18    investigations;
19        (3) ways to empower human resources departments to go
20    beyond compliance and help create a culture of workplace
21    civility; and
22        (4) working with the Department of Human Rights'
23    Institute for Training and Development to establish survey
24    questions and trainings targeted to the vulnerable and
25    underserved persons on whom the Task Force is focused.
26    (c) In developing model policies and best practices, the

 

 

HB0905- 4 -LRB101 05889 LNS 50910 b

1Task Force may consider:
2        (1) how workplace leaders can signal commitment to
3    stopping sexual harassment, even when it may not rise to
4    the level of liability;
5        (2) how to ensure accountability in human resource
6    departments for enforcing policies, encouraging reporting
7    and aiding people who speak out;
8        (3) how to ensure employees have clear and confidential
9    communication with human resource departments or other
10    persons not directly in the employee's chain of command,
11    especially where the human resource professionals are not
12    physically near where employees work or could be exposed to
13    harassment;
14        (4) establishing formal or informal mentoring
15    opportunities for employees;
16        (5) the use of exits surveys to identify the reasons
17    employees leave the workplace and to enhance working
18    conditions and promote retention and an inclusive
19    environment;
20        (6) using engagement or climate surveys to assess the
21    employees' perception of tolerance of workplace
22    harassment, and how to ensure confidentiality of employee
23    answers;
24        (7) utilizing new employee orientation to emphasize
25    inclusion, harassment prevention, and general civility;
26    and

 

 

HB0905- 5 -LRB101 05889 LNS 50910 b

1        (8) how to evaluate executives, managers, and
2    supervisors on their efforts supporting an inclusive
3    workplace and prevent sexual harassment and harassment in
4    general.
5    (d) The Department of Human Rights shall provide
6administrative support to the Task Force.
7    (e) The model policies and best practices shall be
8finalized by March 1, 2020. Within 30 days after finalization,
9the model policies and best practices shall be posted to the
10Department of Human Rights' website available for the public to
11access.
 
12    Section 95. Repeal. This Act is repealed on March 1, 2021.
 
13    Section 99. Effective date. This Act takes effect upon
14becoming law.