103RD GENERAL ASSEMBLY
State of Illinois
2023 and 2024
SB2038

 

Introduced 2/9/2023, by Sen. Cristina H. Pacione-Zayas

 

SYNOPSIS AS INTRODUCED:
 
820 ILCS 112/12 new
820 ILCS 112/20
820 ILCS 112/30

    Amends the Equal Pay Act of 2003. Provides that an employer or employment agency shall disclose in each public and internal posting for each job, promotion, transfer, or other employment opportunity the wage or salary, or the wage or salary range, and a general description of the benefits and other compensation to be offered for the job, promotion, transfer, or other employment opportunity. Provides that an employer shall announce, post, or otherwise make known all opportunities for promotion to all current employees on the same calendar day and prior to making a promotion decision. Provides that an employer shall provide an employee the current wage or salary range and a general description of the benefits and other compensation for the position in which the employee is employed upon hire, promotion, or transfer and at least annually thereafter and upon the employee's request. Provides that the Department of Labor may initiate its own investigations and file its own complaints in response to a violation of the Act. Makes other changes. Effective January 1, 2024.


LRB103 29069 SPS 55455 b

 

 

A BILL FOR

 

SB2038LRB103 29069 SPS 55455 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 Equal Pay Act of 2003 is amended by changing
5Sections 20 and 30 and by adding Section 12 as follows:
 
6    (820 ILCS 112/12 new)
7    Sec. 12. Equal opportunities for employment.
8    (a) As used in the Section, "wage or salary range" means
9the minimum and maximum wage or salary for a position set in
10good faith by reference to any applicable pay scale, the
11previously determined range for the position, the actual range
12of others currently holding equivalent positions, or the
13budgeted amount for the position, as applicable. The
14difference between the minimum and maximum of the wage or
15salary range provided by the employer or employment agency to
16an employee or applicant is relevant to the analysis of
17whether the wage or salary range has been set in good faith.
18    (b) An employer or employment agency shall disclose in
19each public and internal posting for each job, promotion,
20transfer, or other employment opportunity the wage or salary,
21or the wage or salary range, and a general description of the
22benefits and other compensation to be offered for the job,
23promotion, transfer, or other employment opportunity.

 

 

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1    (c) An employer or employment agency shall disclose to an
2applicant for employment the wage or salary, or the wage or
3salary range, and a general description of the benefits and
4other compensation to be offered for the job, promotion,
5transfer, or other employment opportunity prior to any offer
6or discussion of compensation and at any time at the
7applicant's request, if a public or internal posting for the
8job, promotion, transfer, or other employment opportunity has
9not been made available to the applicant.
10    (d) An employer shall announce, post, or otherwise make
11known all opportunities for promotion to all current employees
12on the same calendar day and prior to making a promotion
13decision.
14    (e) An employer shall provide an employee the current wage
15or salary range and a general description of the benefits and
16other compensation for the position in which the employee is
17employed upon hire, promotion, or transfer and at least
18annually thereafter and upon the employee's request.
19    (f) An employer shall not refuse to interview, hire,
20promote, or employ, and shall not otherwise retaliate against,
21an applicant for employment or employee for exercising any
22rights under this Section.
 
23    (820 ILCS 112/20)
24    Sec. 20. Recordkeeping requirements. An employer subject
25to any provision of this Act shall make and preserve records

 

 

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1that document the name, address, and occupation of each
2employee, the wages paid to each employee, a statement
3confirming that the wage or salary, or the wage or salary
4range, and a general description of benefits and other
5compensation were disclosed to each employee for each
6employment opportunity, and any other information the Director
7may by rule deem necessary and appropriate for enforcement of
8this Act. An employer subject to any provision of this Act
9shall preserve those records for a period of not less than 5
10years and shall make reports from the records as prescribed by
11rule or order of the Director, unless the records relate to an
12ongoing investigation or enforcement action under this Act, in
13which case the records must be maintained until their
14destruction is authorized by the Department or by court order.
15(Source: P.A. 96-467, eff. 8-14-09.)
 
16    (820 ILCS 112/30)
17    Sec. 30. Violations; fines and penalties.
18    (a) If an employee is paid by his or her employer less than
19the wage to which he or she is entitled in violation of Section
2010 or 11 of this Act, the employee may recover in a civil
21action the entire amount of any underpayment together with
22interest, compensatory damages if the employee demonstrates
23that the employer acted with malice or reckless indifference,
24punitive damages as may be appropriate, injunctive relief as
25may be appropriate, and the costs and reasonable attorney's

 

 

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1fees as may be allowed by the court and as necessary to make
2the employee whole. At the request of the employee or on a
3motion of the Director, the Department may make an assignment
4of the wage claim in trust for the assigning employee and may
5bring any legal action necessary to collect the claim, and the
6employer shall be required to pay the costs incurred in
7collecting the claim. Every such action shall be brought
8within 5 years from the date of the underpayment. For purposes
9of this Act, "date of the underpayment" means each time wages
10are underpaid.
11    (a-5) If an employer or employment agency violates
12subsection (b), (b-5), (b-10), or (b-20) of Section 10 or
13Section 12, the employee or applicant may recover in a civil
14action any damages incurred, special damages not to exceed
15$10,000, injunctive relief as may be appropriate, and costs
16and reasonable attorney's fees as may be allowed by the court
17and as necessary to make the employee or applicant whole. If
18special damages are available, an employee or applicant may
19recover compensatory damages only to the extent such damages
20exceed the amount of special damages. Such action shall be
21brought within 5 years from the date of the violation.
22    (a-10) The Department has the authority to administer,
23carry out, and enforce all of the provisions of this Act. The
24Department may initiate its own investigations and file its
25own complaints in response to a violation of this Act.
26    (a-15) Any individual who believes the employer or

 

 

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1employment agency is in violation of Section 12 of this Act may
2file a complaint with the Department within one year after the
3date the individual learned of the violation.
4    (b) The Director is authorized to supervise the payment of
5the unpaid wages under subsection (a) or damages under
6subsection (b), (b-5), (b-10), or (b-20) of Section 10 and
7Section 12 owing to any employee or employees or applicants
8under this Act and may bring any legal action necessary to
9recover the amount of unpaid wages, damages, and penalties or
10to seek injunctive relief, and the employer shall be required
11to pay the costs. Any sums recovered by the Director on behalf
12of an employee or applicant under this Section shall be paid to
13the employee or employees or applicant or applicants affected.
14    (c) Employers or employment agencies who violate any
15provision of this Act or any rule adopted under the Act are
16subject to a civil penalty for each employee or applicant
17affected as follows:
18        (1) An employer or employment agency with fewer than 4
19    employees: first offense, a fine not to exceed $500;
20    second offense, a fine not to exceed $2,500; third or
21    subsequent offense, a fine not to exceed $5,000.
22        (2) An employer or employment agency with between 4
23    and 99 employees: first offense, a fine not to exceed
24    $2,500; second offense, a fine not to exceed $3,000; third
25    or subsequent offense, a fine not to exceed $5,000.
26        (3) An employer or employment agency with 100 or more

 

 

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1    employees who violates any Section of this Act except for
2    Section 11 shall be fined up to $10,000 per employee
3    affected. An employer with 100 or more employees that is a
4    business as defined under Section 11 and commits a
5    violation of Section 11 shall be fined up to $10,000.
6    Before any imposition of a penalty under this subsection,
7an employer with 100 or more employees who violates item (b) of
8Section 11 and inadvertently fails to file an initial
9application or recertification shall be provided 30 calendar
10days by the Department to submit the application or
11recertification.
12    An employer or person who violates subsection (b), (b-5),
13(b-10), (b-20), or (c) of Section 10 is subject to a civil
14penalty not to exceed $5,000 for each violation for each
15employee affected.
16    (d) In determining the amount of the penalty, the
17appropriateness of the penalty to the size of the business of
18the employer or employment agency charged and the gravity of
19the violation shall be considered. The penalty may be
20recovered in a civil action brought by the Director in any
21circuit court.
22(Source: P.A. 101-177, eff. 9-29-19; 102-36, eff. 6-25-21.)
 
23    Section 99. Effective date. This Act takes effect January
241, 2024.