SB2339 - 104th General Assembly

Sen. Javier L. Cervantes

Filed: 3/14/2025

 

 


 

 


 
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1
AMENDMENT TO SENATE BILL 2339

2    AMENDMENT NO. ______. Amend Senate Bill 2339 by replacing
3everything after the enacting clause with the following:
 
4    "Section 5. The Right to Privacy in the Workplace Act is
5amended by changing Sections 12, 13, 15, and 20 and by adding
6Sections 16, 17, 18, and 19 as follows:
 
7    (820 ILCS 55/12)
8    Sec. 12. Use of Employment Eligibility Verification
9Systems.
10    (a) Prior to enrolling in any Electronic Employment
11Verification System, including the E-Verify program and the
12Basic Pilot program, as authorized by 8 U.S.C. 1324a, Notes,
13Pilot Programs for Employment Eligibility Confirmation
14(enacted by P.L. 104-208, div. C, title IV, subtitle A),
15renamed the E-Verify program, employers are urged to consult
16the Illinois Department of Labor's website for current

 

 

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1information on the accuracy of the E-Verify program and to
2review and understand an employer's legal responsibilities
3relating to the use of the E-Verify program. Nothing in this
4Act shall be construed to require an employer to enroll in any
5Electronic Employment Verification System, including the
6E-Verify program and the Basic Pilot program, as authorized by
78 U.S.C. 1324a, Notes, Pilot Programs for Employment
8Eligibility Confirmation (enacted by P.L. 104-208, div. C,
9title IV, subtitle A) beyond those obligations that have been
10imposed upon them by federal law. Nothing in this Act shall be
11construed to prohibit an employer from enrolling in any
12Electronic Employment Verification System, including the
13E-Verify program, as required or permitted by federal law.
14    (a-1) The Illinois Department of Labor (IDOL) shall post
15on its website information or links to information from the
16United States Government Accountability Office, Westat, or a
17similar reliable source independent of the Department of
18Homeland Security regarding: (1) the accuracy of the E-Verify
19databases; (2) the approximate financial burden and
20expenditure of time that use of E-Verify requires from
21employers; and (3) an overview of an employer's
22responsibilities under federal and state law relating to the
23use of E-Verify.
24    (b) Upon initial enrollment in an Employment Eligibility
25Verification System or within 30 days after the effective date
26of this amendatory Act of the 96th General Assembly, an

 

 

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1employer enrolled in E-Verify or any other Employment
2Eligibility Verification System must attest, under penalty of
3perjury, on a form prescribed by the IDOL available on the IDOL
4website:
5        (1) that the employer has received the Basic Pilot or
6    E-Verify training materials from the Department of
7    Homeland Security (DHS), and that all employees who will
8    administer the program have completed the Basic Pilot or
9    E-Verify Computer Based Tutorial (CBT); and
10        (2) that the employer has posted the notice from DHS
11    indicating that the employer is enrolled in the Basic
12    Pilot or E-Verify program and the anti-discrimination
13    notice issued by the Immigrant and Employee Rights Section
14    (IER) Office of Special Counsel for Immigration-Related
15    Unfair Employment Practices (OSC), Civil Rights Division,
16    U.S. Department of Justice in a prominent place that is
17    clearly visible to both prospective and current employees.
18    The employer must maintain the signed original of the
19    attestation form prescribed by the IDOL, as well as all
20    CBT certificates of completion and make them available for
21    inspection or copying by the IDOL at any reasonable time.
22    (c) It is a violation of this Act for an employer enrolled
23in an Employment Eligibility Verification System, including
24the E-Verify program and the Basic Pilot program:
25        (1) to fail to display the notices supplied by DHS and
26    IER OSC in a prominent place that is clearly visible to

 

 

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1    both prospective and current employees;
2        (2) to allow any employee to use an Employment
3    Eligibility Verification System prior to having completed
4    CBT;
5        (3) to fail to take reasonable steps to prevent an
6    employee from circumventing the requirement to complete
7    the CBT by assuming another employee's E-Verify or Basic
8    Pilot user identification or password;
9        (4) to use the Employment Eligibility Verification
10    System to verify the employment eligibility of job
11    applicants prior to hiring or to otherwise use the
12    Employment Eligibility Verification System to screen
13    individuals prior to hiring and prior to the completion of
14    a Form I-9;
15        (5) to terminate an employee or take any other adverse
16    employment action against an individual prior to receiving
17    a final nonconfirmation notice from the Social Security
18    Administration or the Department of Homeland Security;
19        (6) to fail to notify an individual, in writing, of
20    the employer's receipt of a tentative nonconfirmation
21    notice, of the individual's right to contest the tentative
22    nonconfirmation notice, and of the contact information for
23    the relevant government agency or agencies that the
24    individual must contact to resolve the tentative
25    nonconfirmation notice;
26        (7) to fail to safeguard the information contained in

 

 

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1    the Employment Eligibility Verification System, and the
2    means of access to the system (such as passwords and other
3    privacy protections). An employer shall ensure that the
4    System is not used for any purpose other than employment
5    verification of newly hired employees and shall ensure
6    that the information contained in the System and the means
7    of access to the System are not disseminated to any person
8    other than employees who need such information and access
9    to perform the employer's employment verification
10    responsibilities.
11    (c-1) Any claim that an employer refused to hire,
12segregated, or acted with respect to recruitment, hiring,
13promotion, renewal or employment, selection for training or
14apprenticeship, discharge, discipline, tenure or terms,
15privileges, or conditions of employment without following the
16procedures of the Employment Eligibility Verification System,
17including the Basic Pilot and the E-Verify program programs,
18may be brought under paragraph (G)(2) of Section 2-102 of the
19Illinois Human Rights Act.
20    (c-2) It is a violation of this Section for an individual
21to falsely pose as an employer in order to enroll in an
22Employment Eligibility Verification System or for an employer
23to use an Employment Eligibility Verification System to access
24information regarding an individual who is not an employee of
25the employer.
26    (d) Preemption. Neither the State nor any of its political

 

 

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1subdivisions, nor any unit of local government, including a
2home rule unit, may require any employer to use an Employment
3Eligibility Verification System, including under the following
4circumstances:
5        (1) as a condition of receiving a government contract;
6        (2) as a condition of receiving a business license; or
7        (3) as penalty for violating licensing or other
8    similar laws.
9    This subsection (d) is a denial and limitation of home
10rule powers and functions under subsection (h) of Section 6 of
11Article VII of the Illinois Constitution.
12(Source: P.A. 103-879, eff. 1-1-25.)
 
13    (820 ILCS 55/13)
14    Sec. 13. Restrictions on the use of Employment Eligibility
15Verification Systems.
16    (a) As used in this Section:
17    "Employee's authorized representative" means an exclusive
18collective bargaining representative, an attorney, or, upon
19written notification to the employer, any other representative
20authorized by the employee.
21    "Inspecting entity" means the U.S. Department of Homeland
22Security, the Immigrant Employee Rights Section, or the U.S.
23Department of Labor, as required under 8 U.S.C. 1324a(b)(3)
24Immigration and Customs Enforcement, United States Customs and
25Border Protection, or any other federal entity enforcing civil

 

 

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1immigration violations of an employer's I-9 Employment
2Eligibility Verification forms.
3    (b) An employer shall not impose work authorization
4verification or re-verification requirements greater than
5those required by federal law or, if enrolled in an Employment
6Eligibility Verification System, including the E-Verify
7program, shall not impose work authorization verification or
8re-verification requirements greater than those required by
9the Employment Eligibility Verification System, including the
10E-Verify program.
11    (c) If an employer contends that there is a discrepancy in
12an employee's employment verification information, the
13employer must provide the employee with:
14        (1) The specific document or documents, if made
15    available to the employer, that the employer deems to be
16    deficient and the reason why the document or documents are
17    deficient. Upon request by the employee or the employee's
18    authorized representative, the employer shall give to the
19    employee the original document forming the basis for the
20    employer's contention of deficiency within 7 business
21    days, unless a shorter timeline is provided for under a
22    collective bargaining agreement.
23        (2) Instructions on how the employee can correct the
24    alleged deficient documents if required to do so by law.
25        (3) An explanation of the employee's right to have
26    representation present during related meetings,

 

 

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1    discussions, or proceedings with the employer. If the
2    alleged discrepancy is based on information obtained
3    through the employer's participation in the E-Verify
4    program, the right to representation shall apply unless
5    not , if allowed by a memorandum of understanding
6    concerning the federal E-Verify system.
7        (4) An explanation of any other rights that the
8    employee may have in connection with the employer's
9    contention.
10    (d) (Blank). When an employer receives notification from
11any federal or State agency, including, but not limited to,
12the Social Security Administration or the Internal Revenue
13Service, of a discrepancy as it relates to work authorization,
14the following rights and protections are granted to the
15employee:
16        (1) The employer must not take any adverse action
17    against the employee, including re-verification, based on
18    the receipt of the notification.
19        (2) The employer must provide a notice to the employee
20    and, if allowed by a memorandum of understanding
21    concerning the federal E-Verify system, to the employee's
22    authorized representative, if any, as soon as practicable,
23    but not more than 5 business days after the date of receipt
24    of the notification, unless a shorter timeline is provided
25    for under federal law or a collective bargaining
26    agreement. The notice to the employee shall include, but

 

 

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1    not be limited to: (i) an explanation that the federal or
2    State agency has notified the employer that the employee's
3    work authorization documents presented by the employee do
4    not appear to be valid or reasonably relate to the
5    employee; and (ii) the time period the employee has to
6    contest the federal or State agency's determination. The
7    employer shall notify the employee in person and deliver
8    the notification by hand, if possible. If hand delivery is
9    not possible, then the employer shall notify the employee
10    by mail and email, if the email address of the employee is
11    known, and shall notify the employee's authorized
12    representative. Upon request by the employee or the
13    employee's authorized representative, the employer shall
14    give to the employee the original notice from the federal
15    or State agency, including, but not limited to, the Social
16    Security Administration or the Internal Revenue Service,
17    within 7 business days. This original notice shall be
18    redacted in compliance with State and federal privacy laws
19    and shall relate only to the employee receiving the
20    notification.
21        (3) The employee may have a representative of the
22    employee's choosing in any meetings, discussions, or
23    proceedings with the employer.
24    The procedures described in this subsection do not apply
25to inspections of an employer's I-9 Employment Verification
26Forms by an inspecting entity or any relevant procedure

 

 

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1otherwise described in subsection (g).
2    (d-5) If an employer receives a written notification from
3any federal agency or other outside third party not
4responsible for the enforcement of immigration law, including,
5but not limited to, the Social Security Administration, the
6Internal Revenue Service, or an insurance company, of a
7discrepancy as it relates to an employee's individual taxpayer
8identification number or other identifying documents, the
9following rights and protections are granted to the employee:
10        (1) The employer shall not take any adverse action
11    against the employee, including re-verification, based
12    solely on the receipt of the notification.
13        (2) The employer shall provide a notice to the
14    employee and to the employee's authorized representative,
15    if any, as soon as practicable, but not more than 5
16    business days after the date of receipt of the
17    notification, unless a shorter timeline is provided for
18    under federal law or a collective bargaining agreement.
19    The employer shall notify the employee in person and
20    deliver the notification by hand, if possible. If hand
21    delivery is not possible, then the employer shall notify
22    the employee by mail and email, if the email address of the
23    employee is known, and shall notify the employee's
24    authorized representative. Upon request by the employee or
25    the employee's authorized representative, the employer
26    shall give to the employee the original notification. The

 

 

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1    notice to the employee shall include, but shall not be
2    limited to: (A) an explanation that the federal agency or
3    outside third party has notified the employer that the
4    identification documents presented by the employee do not
5    appear to match; and (B) the time period the employee has
6    to contest the disputed information, if such a time period
7    is required by federal law.
8        (3) The employee may have a representative of the
9    employee's choosing in any meetings, discussions, or
10    proceedings with the employer.
11    (e) Except as otherwise required by federal law, an
12employer shall provide a notice to each current employee, by
13posting in English and in any language commonly used in the
14workplace, of any inspections of I-9 Employment Eligibility
15Verification forms or other employment records conducted by
16the inspecting entity within 72 hours after receiving notice
17of the inspection. Written notice shall also be given within
1872 hours to the employee's authorized representative, if any.
19The posted notice shall contain the following information:
20        (1) the name of the entity conducting the inspections
21    of I-9 Employment Eligibility Verification forms or other
22    employment records;
23        (2) the date that the employer received notice of the
24    inspection;
25        (3) the nature of the inspection to the extent known
26    by the employer; and

 

 

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1        (4) a copy of the notice received by the employer.
2    An employer, upon reasonable request, shall provide an
3employee a copy of the Notice of Inspection of I-9 Employment
4Eligibility Verification forms.
5    (f) On or before 6 months after the effective date of this
6amendatory Act of the 103rd General Assembly, the Department
7shall develop a template posting that employers may use to
8comply with the requirements of subsection (e) to inform
9employees of a notice of inspection to be conducted of I-9
10Employment Eligibility Verification forms or other employment
11records conducted by the inspecting entity. The Department
12shall make the template available on its website so that it is
13accessible to any employer.
14    (g) Except as otherwise required by federal law, if during
15an inspection of the employer's I-9 Employment Eligibility
16Verification forms by an inspecting entity, the inspecting
17entity makes a determination that the employee's work
18authorization documents do not establish that the employee is
19authorized to work in the United States and provide the
20employer with notice of that determination, the employer shall
21provide a written notice as set forth in this subsection to the
22employee within 5 business days, unless a shorter timeline is
23provided for under federal law or a collective bargaining
24agreement. The employer's notice to the employee shall relate
25to the employee only. The employer shall notify the employee
26in person and deliver the notification by hand, if possible.

 

 

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1If hand delivery is not possible, then the employer shall
2notify the employee by mail and email, if the email address of
3the employee is known, and shall notify the employee's
4authorized representative. The employer's notice to the
5employee shall contain the following information:
6        (1) an explanation that the inspecting entity has
7    determined that the employee's work authorization
8    documents presented by the employee do not appear to be
9    valid or reasonably relate to the employee;
10        (2) the time period for the employee to notify the
11    employer whether the employee is contesting or not
12    contesting the determination by the inspecting entity, if
13    any time period is required by federal law;
14        (3) if known by the employer, the time and date of any
15    meeting with the employer and employee or with the
16    inspecting entity and employee related to the correction
17    of the inspecting entity's determination that the
18    employee's work authorization documents presented by the
19    employee do not appear to be valid or reasonably relate to
20    the employee; and
21        (4) notice that the employee has the right to
22    representation during any meeting scheduled with the
23    employer and the inspecting entity.
24    If the employee contests the inspecting entity's
25determination, the employer will notify the employee within 72
26hours after receipt of any final determination by the

 

 

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1inspecting entity related to the employee's work authorization
2status. Upon request by the employee or the employee's
3authorized representative, the employer shall give the
4employee the original notice from the inspecting entity within
57 business days. This original notice shall be redacted in
6compliance with State and federal privacy laws and shall
7relate only to the employee receiving the notification.
8    (h) This Section does not require a penalty to be imposed
9upon an employer or person who fails to provide notice to an
10employee at the express and specific direction or request of
11the federal government. In determining the amount of the
12penalty, the appropriateness of the penalty to the size of the
13business of the employer charged and the gravity of the
14violation shall be considered. The penalty may be recovered in
15a civil action brought by the Director in any circuit court.
16Upon request by the employee or the employee's authorized
17representative, the employer shall give the employee the
18original notice from the inspecting entity within 7 business
19days.
20    (i) This Section applies to public and private employers.
21    (j) Nothing in this Section shall be interpreted,
22construed, or applied to restrict or limit an employer's
23compliance with a memorandum of understanding concerning the
24use of the federal E-Verify system.
25(Source: P.A. 103-879, eff. 1-1-25.)
 

 

 

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1    (820 ILCS 55/15)  (from Ch. 48, par. 2865)
2    Sec. 15. Administration and enforcement by the Department.
3    (a) It shall be the duty of the Department to enforce the
4provisions of this Act when, in the Department's judgment,
5there is cause and sufficient resources for investigation. The
6Department shall have the power to conduct investigations in
7connection with the administration and enforcement of this
8Act, and any investigator with the Department shall be
9authorized to visit and inspect, at all reasonable times, any
10places covered by this Act and shall be authorized to inspect,
11at all reasonable times, records of the employer or
12prospective employer related to its employees or prospective
13employees and related to its participation in and compliance
14with the E-Verify program. The Department shall have the
15authority to request the issuance of a search warrant or
16subpoena to inspect the files of the employer or prospective
17employer, if necessary. The Department shall conduct hearings
18in accordance with the Illinois Administrative Procedure Act
19upon written complaint by an investigator of the Department.
20After the hearing, if supported by the evidence, the
21Department may (i) issue and cause to be served on any party an
22order to cease and desist from further violation of the Act,
23(ii) take affirmative or other action as deemed reasonable to
24eliminate the effect of the violation, and (iii) determine the
25amount of any civil penalty allowed by the Act. The Director of
26Labor or his or her representative may compel, by subpoena,

 

 

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1the attendance and testimony of witnesses and the production
2of books, payrolls, records, papers, and other evidence in any
3investigation or hearing and may administer oaths to witnesses
4The Director of Labor or his authorized representative shall
5administer and enforce the provisions of this Act. The
6Director of Labor may issue rules and regulations necessary to
7administer and enforce the provisions of this Act.
8    (b) If an employee or applicant for employment alleges
9that he or she has been denied his or her rights under this
10Act, he or she may file a complaint with the Department of
11Labor. The Department shall investigate the complaint pursuant
12to its authority under subsection (a) and shall have authority
13to request the issuance of a search warrant or subpoena to
14inspect the files of the employer or prospective employer, if
15necessary. The Department shall attempt to resolve the
16complaint by conference, conciliation, or persuasion. If the
17complaint is not so resolved and the Department finds the
18employer or prospective employer has violated the Act, the
19Department may commence an action in the circuit court to
20enforce the provisions of this Act including an action to
21compel compliance. The circuit court for the county in which
22the complainant resides or in which the complainant is
23employed shall have jurisdiction in such actions.
24    (c) (Blank). If an employer or prospective employer
25violates this Act, an employee or applicant for employment may
26commence an action in the circuit court to enforce the

 

 

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1provisions of this Act, including actions to compel
2compliance, where efforts to resolve the employee's or
3applicant for employment's complaint concerning the violation
4by conference, conciliation or persuasion under subsection (b)
5have failed and the Department has not commenced an action in
6circuit court to redress the violation. The circuit court for
7the county in which the complainant resides or in which the
8complainant is employed shall have jurisdiction in such
9actions.
10    (d) (Blank). Failure to comply with an order of the court
11may be punished as contempt. In addition, the court shall
12award an employee or applicant for employment prevailing in an
13action under this Act the following damages:
14        (1) Actual damages plus costs.
15        (2) For a willful and knowing violation of this Act,
16    $200 plus costs, reasonable attorney's fees, and actual
17    damages.
18        (3) For a willful and knowing violation of Section
19    12(c) or Section 12(c-2) of this Act, $500 per affected
20    employee plus costs, reasonable attorney's fees, and
21    actual damages.
22        (4) For a willful and knowing violation of Section 13,
23    a civil penalty of a minimum of $2,000 up to a maximum of
24    $5,000 for a first violation and a civil penalty of a
25    minimum of $5,000 up to a maximum of $10,000 for each
26    subsequent violation per affected employee plus costs,

 

 

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1    reasonable attorney's fees, and actual damages.
2    (e) Any employer or prospective employer or his agent who
3violates the provisions of this Act is guilty of a petty
4offense.
5    (f) Any employer or prospective employer, or the officer
6or agent of any employer or prospective employer, who
7discharges or in any other manner discriminates against any
8employee or applicant for employment because that employee or
9applicant for employment has made a complaint to his employer,
10or to the Director of Labor or his authorized representative,
11or because that employee or applicant for employment has
12caused to be instituted or is about to cause to be instituted
13any proceeding under or related to this Act, or because that
14employee or applicant for employment has testified or is about
15to testify in an investigation or proceeding under this Act,
16is guilty of a petty offense.
17(Source: P.A. 103-879, eff. 1-1-25.)
 
18    (820 ILCS 55/16 new)
19    Sec. 16. Action for civil penalties brought by an
20interested party.
21    (a) As used in this Section, "interested party" means an
22organization that monitors or is attentive to compliance with
23public or worker safety and privacy laws, wage and hour
24requirements, or other statutory requirements.
25    (b) Upon a reasonable belief that an employer or

 

 

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1prospective employer covered by this Act is in violation of
2any part of this Act, an interested party may initiate a civil
3action in the county where the alleged offenses occurred or
4where any party to the action resides, asserting that a
5violation of the Act has occurred, pursuant to the following
6sequence of events:
7        (1) The interested party submits to the Department of
8    Labor a complaint describing the violation and employer or
9    prospective employer alleged to have violated this Act.
10        (2) The Department sends notice of complaint to the
11    named parties alleged to have violated this Act and the
12    interested party. The named parties may either contest the
13    alleged violation or attempt to cure the alleged
14    violation.
15        (3) The named parties contest or cure the alleged
16    violation within 30 days after the receipt of the notice
17    of complaint or, if the named party does not respond
18    within 30 days, the Department issues a notice of right to
19    sue to the interested party as described in paragraph (4).
20        (4) The Department issues a notice of right to sue to
21    the interested party, if one or more of the following has
22    occurred:
23            (A) the named party has cured the alleged
24        violation to the satisfaction of the Director;
25            (B) the Director has determined that the
26        allegation is unjustified or that the Department does

 

 

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1        not have jurisdiction over the matter or the parties;
2        or
3            (C) the Director has determined that the
4        allegation is justified or has not made a
5        determination, and either has decided not to exercise
6        jurisdiction over the matter or has concluded
7        administrative enforcement of the matter.
8    (c) If, within 180 days after service of the notice of
9complaint to the parties, the Department has not resolved the
10contest and cure period with the mutual agreement of the
11parties, extended the time for the named party to cure the
12violation and resolve the complaint, or issued a right to sue
13letter, the interested party may initiate a civil action for
14penalties. The parties may extend the 180-day period by mutual
15agreement. The limitations period for the interested party to
16bring an action for the alleged violation of the Act shall be
17tolled for the 180-day period and for the period of any
18mutually agreed extensions. At the end of the 180-day period,
19or any mutually agreed extensions, the Department shall issue
20a right to sue letter to the interested party.
21    (d) Upon receipt of a right to sue letter from the
22Department, an interested party may bring a civil action in
23the county where the alleged offenses occurred or where any
24party to the action resides, in the name of the State and for
25the benefit of any impacted employees or prospective
26employees.

 

 

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1        (1) No later than 30 days after filing an action, the
2    interested party shall serve upon the State through the
3    Attorney General a copy of the complaint and written
4    disclosure of substantially all material evidence and
5    information the interested party possesses.
6        (2) The State may elect to intervene and proceed with
7    the action no later than 60 days after it receives both the
8    complaint and the material evidence and information. The
9    State may, for good cause shown, move the court for an
10    extension of the time to intervene and proceed with the
11    action.
12        (3) Before the expiration of the 60-day period or any
13    extensions under subparagraph (2), the State shall:
14            (i) proceed with the action, in which case the
15        action shall be conducted by the State; or
16            (ii) notify the court that it declines to take the
17        action, in which case the interested party bringing
18        the action shall have the right to conduct the action.
19        (4) When the State conducts the action, the interested
20    party shall have the right to continue as a party to the
21    action subject to the following limitations:
22            (i) the State may dismiss the action
23        notwithstanding the objections of the interested party
24        initiating the action if the interested party has been
25        notified by the State of the filing of the motion and
26        the court has provided the interested party with an

 

 

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1        opportunity for a hearing on the motion; and
2            (ii) the State may settle the action with the
3        defendant notwithstanding the objections of the person
4        initiating the action if the court determines, after a
5        hearing, that the proposed settlement is fair,
6        adequate, and reasonable under all the circumstances.
7        (5) If an interested party brings an action under this
8    Section, no person other than the State may intervene or
9    bring a related action on behalf of the State based on the
10    facts underlying the pending action.
11        (6) An action brought in court by an interested party
12    under this Section may be dismissed if the court and the
13    Attorney General give written consent to the dismissal and
14    their reasons for consenting.
15    (e) Any claim or action filed by an interested party under
16this Section shall be made no later 3 years after the alleged
17conduct resulting in the complaint, plus any period for which
18the limitations period has been tolled.
19    (f) In an action brought by an interested party under this
20Section, an interested party may recover against the covered
21entity any statutory penalties set forth in Section 17,
22injunctive relief, and any other relief available to the
23Department. An interested party who prevails in a civil action
24shall receive 10% of any statutory penalties assessed, plus
25any attorney's fees and costs. The remaining 90% of any
26statutory penalties assessed shall be deposited into a special

 

 

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1fund of the Department for enforcement of this Act.
 
2    (820 ILCS 55/17 new)
3    Sec. 17. Private right of action.
4    (a) A person aggrieved by a violation of this Act or any
5rule adopted under this Act by an employer or prospective
6employer may file suit in circuit court of Illinois, in the
7county where the alleged offense occurred, where the employee
8or prospective employee who is party to the action resides, or
9where the employer or prospective employer which is party to
10the action is located, without regard to exhaustion of any
11alternative administrative remedies provided in this Act.
12Actions may be brought by one or more affected employees or
13prospective employees for and on behalf of themselves and
14employees or prospective employees similarly situated. An
15employee or prospective employee may recover for a violation
16of the Act under this Section or under Section 15 or 16 at the
17employee or prospective employee's option, but not under more
18than one Section. An employee or prospective employee whose
19rights have been violated under this Act by an employer or
20prospective employer is entitled to collect under this
21Section:
22        (1) in the case of a violation of this Act or any rule
23    adopted under this Act as it relates to the employee or
24    prospective employee, a civil penalty of not less than
25    $100 and not more than $1,000 for each violation found by a

 

 

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1    court;
2        (2) in the event a violation of this Act or any rule
3    adopted under this Act as it relates to denial or loss of
4    employment for the employee or prospective employee, all
5    relief necessary to make the employee whole, including,
6    but not limited to, the following:
7            (i) reinstatement with the same seniority status
8        that the employee would have had but for the
9        violation, as appropriate;
10            (ii) back pay, with interest, as appropriate; and
11            (iii) a civil penalty of $10,000; and
12        (3) compensation for any damages sustained as a result
13    of the violation, including litigation costs, expert
14    witness fees, and reasonable attorney's fees.
15    (b) The right of an aggrieved person to bring an action
16under this Section terminates upon the passing of 3 years
17after the date of the violation. This limitations period is
18tolled if an employer or prospective employer has failed to
19provide an employee or prospective employee information
20required under this Act or has deterred an employee or
21prospective employee from the exercise of rights under this
22Act.
 
23    (820 ILCS 55/18 new)
24    Sec. 18. Penalties.
25    (a) An employer or prospective employer that violates any

 

 

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1of the provisions of this Act or any rule adopted under this
2Act shall be subject to a civil penalty of not less than $100
3and not more than $1,000 for each violation of his Act found by
4the Department or determined by a court in a civil action
5brought by the Department or by an interested party, as
6defined in subsection (a) of Section 16, or determined by a
7court in a civil action brought by the Attorney General
8pursuant to its authority under Section 6.3 of the Attorney
9General Act. An employer or prospective employer that commits
10a second or subsequent violation of the same provisions or
11this Act or any rule adopted under this Act within a 3-year
12period shall be subject to a civil penalty of not less than
13$1,000 and not more than $5,000 for each violation of this Act
14found by the Department or determined by a court in a civil
15action brought by the Department or by an interested party, as
16defined in subsection (a) of Section 16, or determined by a
17court in a civil action brought by the Attorney General
18pursuant to its authority under Section 6.3 of the Attorney
19General Act. For purposes of this subsection, each violation
20of this Act or any rule adopted under this Act shall constitute
21a separate and distinct violation.
22    (b) In determining the amount of a penalty, the Director
23or circuit court shall consider (i) the appropriateness of the
24penalty to the size of the business of the employer charged and
25(ii) the gravity of the violation.
26    (c) The Department shall adopt rules for violation

 

 

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1hearings and penalties for violations of this Act or the
2Department's rules in conjunction with the penalties set forth
3in this Act. Any administrative determination by the
4Department as to the amount of each penalty shall be final
5unless reviewed as provided in Section 17 of this Act.
 
6    (820 ILCS 55/19 new)
7    Sec. 19. Review under the Administrative Review Law. Any
8party to a proceeding under this Act may apply for and obtain
9judicial review of an order of the Department entered under
10this Act in accordance with the provisions of the
11Administrative Review Law, and the Department, in proceedings
12under this Act, may obtain an order from the court for the
13enforcement of its order.
 
14    (820 ILCS 55/20)
15    Sec. 20. Dismissal of complaint. The Director or any court
16of competent jurisdiction shall summarily dismiss any
17complaint alleging a violation of Section 5 of this Act which
18states as the sole cause of the complaint that the employer
19offered a health, disability, or life insurance policy that
20makes a distinction between employees for the type of coverage
21or the price of coverage based upon the employees' use of
22lawful products.
23(Source: P.A. 87-807.)".