103RD GENERAL ASSEMBLY
State of Illinois
2023 and 2024
SB3559

 

Introduced 2/9/2024, by Sen. Lakesia Collins

 

SYNOPSIS AS INTRODUCED:
 
210 ILCS 45/3-810

    Amends the Nursing Home Care Act. Provides that a facility shall not take any retaliatory action against a resident of the facility because the resident (1) complains, discloses, or threatens to disclose to a supervisor, a public body, or any other person an activity, inaction, policy, or practice implemented by a facility that the resident reasonably believes is in violation of a law or rule, or regulation or that the resident believes to be problematic; (2) provides information to or testifies before any public body conducting an investigation, hearing, or inquiry into any violation of a law, rule, or regulation by a nursing home administrator; (3) assists or participates in a proceeding to enforce the provisions of the Act; (4) seeks assistance for himself or herself or others to transition to independent living or another setting outside of their current nursing home; (5) makes a request of the facility related to the resident's care; (6) becomes a member of a resident council, resident union, or similar organization; or (7) takes any other good faith action in support of any other right or remedy provided by law. Describes remedies that may be awarded to a resident of a facility for a violation of these requirements. Authorizes a claim of retaliation under the Act to be filed in any court of competent jurisdiction or any administrative hearing process conducted by the State and its agencies or departments with jurisdiction to hear complaints by employees or residents against nursing homes.


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A BILL FOR

 

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1    AN ACT concerning regulation.
 
2    Be it enacted by the People of the State of Illinois,
3represented in the General Assembly:
 
4    Section 5. The Nursing Home Care Act is amended by
5changing Section 3-810 as follows:
 
6    (210 ILCS 45/3-810)
7    Sec. 3-810. Whistleblower protection.
8    (a) In this Section, "retaliatory action" means (1) the
9reprimand, discharge, suspension, demotion, denial of
10promotion or transfer, or change in the terms and conditions
11of employment of any employee of a facility that is taken in
12retaliation for the employee's involvement in a protected
13activity as set forth in paragraphs (1) through (3) of
14subsection (b); or (2) reduced access to services, neglect,
15selective restrictions, adverse actions that interfere with
16the resident's quality of life at the facility, or threats of
17such actions that are taken in retaliation for any resident of
18a facility's involvement in a protected activity as set forth
19in paragraph (1) through (7) of subsection (c).
20    (b) A facility shall not take any retaliatory action
21against an employee of the facility, including a nursing home
22administrator, because the employee does any of the following:
23        (1) Discloses or threatens to disclose to a supervisor

 

 

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1    or to a public body an activity, inaction, policy, or
2    practice implemented by a facility that the employee
3    reasonably believes is in violation of a law, rule, or
4    regulation.
5        (2) Provides information to or testifies before any
6    public body conducting an investigation, hearing, or
7    inquiry into any violation of a law, rule, or regulation
8    by a nursing home administrator.
9        (3) Assists or participates in a proceeding to enforce
10    the provisions of this Act.
11    (b-5) A facility shall not take any retaliatory action
12against a resident of the facility because the resident does
13any of the following:
14        (1) complains, discloses, or threatens to disclose to
15    a supervisor, a public body, or any other person an
16    activity, inaction, policy, or practice implemented by a
17    facility that the resident reasonably believes is in
18    violation of a law or rule, or regulation or that the
19    resident believes to be problematic;
20        (2) provides information to or testifies before any
21    public body conducting an investigation, hearing, or
22    inquiry into any violation of a law, rule, or regulation
23    by a nursing home administrator;
24        (3) assists or participates in a proceeding to enforce
25    the provisions of this Act;
26        (4) seeks assistance for himself or herself or others

 

 

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1    to transition to independent living or another setting
2    outside of their current nursing home;
3        (5) makes a request of the facility related to the
4    resident's care;
5        (6) becomes a member of a resident council, resident
6    union, or similar organization; or
7        (7) takes any other good faith action in support of
8    any other right or remedy provided by law.
9    (c) A violation of this Section may be established only
10upon a finding that (i) the employee of the facility engaged in
11conduct described in subsection (b) of this Section and this
12conduct was a contributing factor in the retaliatory action
13alleged by the employee; or and (ii) the resident of the
14facility engaged in conduct described in subsection (c) of
15this Section and this conduct was a contributing factor in the
16retaliatory action alleged by the resident. A resident or
17employee may allege retaliation as a prima facie case of
18retaliation, which can be overcome by the facility, within one
19year after a resident or employee engages in conduct described
20in subsections (b) or (c) this conduct was a contributing
21factor in the retaliatory action alleged by the employee.
22There is no violation of this Section, however, if the
23facility demonstrates by clear and convincing evidence that it
24would have taken the same unfavorable personnel action in the
25absence of that conduct.
26    (d) The employee of the facility may be awarded all

 

 

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1remedies necessary to make the employee whole and to prevent
2future violations of this Section. Remedies imposed by the
3court may include, but are not limited to, all of the
4following:
5        (1) Reinstatement of the employee to either the same
6    position held before the retaliatory action or to an
7    equivalent position.
8        (2) Two times the amount of back pay.
9        (3) Interest on the back pay.
10        (4) Reinstatement of full fringe benefits and
11    seniority rights.
12        (5) Payment of reasonable costs and attorney's fees.
13    (d-5) The resident of the facility may be awarded all
14remedies necessary to make the resident whole and prevent
15future violations of this Section. Remedies imposed by the
16court or other administrative body with appropriate
17jurisdiction may include, but are not limited to, all of the
18following:
19        (1) injunctive relief;
20        (2) 2 times the amount of the facility's monthly
21    billing amount for that resident; and
22        (3) payment of reasonable costs and attorney's fees.
23    (d-10) A claim of retaliation under this Act may be filed
24in any court of competent jurisdiction or any administrative
25hearing process conducted by the State and its agencies or
26departments with jurisdiction to hear complaints by employees

 

 

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1or residents against nursing homes.
2    (e) Nothing in this Section shall be deemed to diminish
3the rights, privileges, or remedies of an employee of a
4facility under any other federal or State law, rule, or
5regulation or under any employment contract.
6(Source: P.A. 96-1372, eff. 7-29-10.)