Illinois General Assembly - Full Text of HB4871
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Full Text of HB4871  101st General Assembly

HB4871 101ST GENERAL ASSEMBLY

  
  

 


 
101ST GENERAL ASSEMBLY
State of Illinois
2019 and 2020
HB4871

 

Introduced 2/18/2020, by Rep. Robyn Gabel

 

SYNOPSIS AS INTRODUCED:
 
820 ILCS 180/10
820 ILCS 180/20
820 ILCS 180/25
820 ILCS 180/30
820 ILCS 180/45
820 ILCS 405/601  from Ch. 48, par. 431

    Amends the Victims' Economic Security and Safety Act. Provides that victims and family members of victims of crimes of violence (in addition to victims of domestic violence, sexual violence, and gender violence) are subject to the provisions of the Act regarding unpaid leave and prohibited discriminatory acts. Amends the Unemployment Insurance Act. Provides that victims of crimes of violence shall not be barred from collecting voluntary leave benefits. Defines terms. Makes other changes.


LRB101 20489 JLS 70079 b

 

 

A BILL FOR

 

HB4871LRB101 20489 JLS 70079 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 Victims' Economic Security and Safety Act is
5amended by changing Sections 10, 20, 25, 30, and 45 as follows:
 
6    (820 ILCS 180/10)
7    Sec. 10. Definitions. In this Act, except as otherwise
8expressly provided:
9        (1) "Commerce" includes trade, traffic, commerce,
10    transportation, or communication; and "industry or
11    activity affecting commerce" means any activity, business,
12    or industry in commerce or in which a labor dispute would
13    hinder or obstruct commerce or the free flow of commerce,
14    and includes "commerce" and any "industry affecting
15    commerce".
16        (2) "Course of conduct" means a course of repeatedly
17    maintaining a visual or physical proximity to a person or
18    conveying oral or written threats, including threats
19    conveyed through electronic communications, or threats
20    implied by conduct.
21        (2.5) "Crime of violence" has the same meaning as
22    provided under Section 2 of the Crime Victims Compensation
23    Act.

 

 

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1        (3) "Department" means the Department of Labor.
2        (4) "Director" means the Director of Labor.
3        (5) (Blank). "Domestic violence, sexual violence, or
4    gender violence" means domestic violence, sexual assault,
5    gender violence, or stalking.
6        (6) "Domestic violence" means abuse, as defined in
7    Section 103 of the Illinois Domestic Violence Act of 1986,
8    by a family or household member, as defined in Section 103
9    of the Illinois Domestic Violence Act of 1986.
10        (7) "Electronic communications" includes
11    communications via telephone, mobile phone, computer,
12    e-mail, video recorder, fax machine, telex, pager, online
13    platform (including, but not limited to, any public-facing
14    website, web application, digital application, or social
15    network), or any other electronic communication, as
16    defined in Section 12-7.5 of the Criminal Code of 2012.
17        (8) "Employ" includes to suffer or permit to work.
18        (9) Employee.
19            (A) In general. "Employee" means any person
20        employed by an employer.
21            (B) Basis. "Employee" includes a person employed
22        as described in subparagraph (A) on a full or part-time
23        basis, or as a participant in a work assignment as a
24        condition of receipt of federal or State income-based
25        public assistance.
26        (10) "Employer" means any of the following: (A) the

 

 

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1    State or any agency of the State; (B) any unit of local
2    government or school district; or (C) any person that
3    employs at least one employee.
4        (11) "Employment benefits" means all benefits provided
5    or made available to employees by an employer, including
6    group life insurance, health insurance, disability
7    insurance, sick leave, annual leave, educational benefits,
8    pensions, and profit-sharing, regardless of whether such
9    benefits are provided by a practice or written policy of an
10    employer or through an "employee benefit plan". "Employee
11    benefit plan" or "plan" means an employee welfare benefit
12    plan or an employee pension benefit plan or a plan which is
13    both an employee welfare benefit plan and an employee
14    pension benefit plan.
15        (12) "Family or household member", for employees with a
16    family or household member who is a victim of domestic
17    violence, sexual violence, or gender violence, or any other
18    crime of violence, means a spouse, parent, son, daughter,
19    other person related by blood or by present or prior
20    marriage, other person who shares a relationship through a
21    son or daughter, and persons jointly residing in the same
22    household.
23    (12.5) "Gender violence" means:
24        (A) one or more acts of violence or aggression
25    satisfying the elements of any criminal offense under the
26    laws of this State that are committed, at least in part, on

 

 

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1    the basis of a person's actual or perceived sex or gender,
2    regardless of whether the acts resulted in criminal
3    charges, prosecution, or conviction;
4        (B) a physical intrusion or physical invasion of a
5    sexual nature under coercive conditions satisfying the
6    elements of any criminal offense under the laws of this
7    State, regardless of whether the intrusion or invasion
8    resulted in criminal charges, prosecution, or conviction;
9    or
10        (C) a threat of an act described in item (A) or (B)
11    causing a realistic apprehension that the originator of the
12    threat will commit the act.
13        (13) "Parent" means the biological parent of an
14    employee or an individual who stood in loco parentis to an
15    employee when the employee was a son or daughter. "Son or
16    daughter" means a biological, adopted, or foster child, a
17    stepchild, a legal ward, or a child of a person standing in
18    loco parentis, who is under 18 years of age, or is 18 years
19    of age or older and incapable of self-care because of a
20    mental or physical disability.
21        (14) "Perpetrator" means an individual who commits or
22    is alleged to have committed any act or threat of domestic
23    violence, sexual violence, or gender violence, or any other
24    crime of violence.
25        (15) "Person" means an individual, partnership,
26    association, corporation, business trust, legal

 

 

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1    representative, or any organized group of persons.
2        (16) "Public agency" means the Government of the State
3    or political subdivision thereof; any agency of the State,
4    or of a political subdivision of the State; or any
5    governmental agency.
6        (17) "Public assistance" includes cash, food stamps,
7    medical assistance, housing assistance, and other benefits
8    provided on the basis of income by a public agency or
9    public employer.
10        (18) "Reduced work schedule" means a work schedule that
11    reduces the usual number of hours per workweek, or hours
12    per workday, of an employee.
13        (19) "Repeatedly" means on 2 or more occasions.
14        (20) "Sexual assault" means any conduct proscribed by:
15    (i) Article 11 of the Criminal Code of 2012 except Sections
16    11-35 and 11-45; (ii) Sections 12-13, 12-14, 12-14.1,
17    12-15, and 12-16 of the Criminal Code of 2012; or (iii) a
18    similar provision of the Criminal Code of 1961.
19        (20.5) "Sexual violence" means sexual assault.
20        (21) "Stalking" means any conduct proscribed by the
21    Criminal Code of 1961 or the Criminal Code of 2012 in
22    Sections 12-7.3, 12-7.4, and 12-7.5.
23        (22) "Victim" or "survivor" means an individual who has
24    been subjected to domestic violence, sexual violence, or
25    gender violence, or any other crime of violence. "Victim"
26    also includes any person described as a victim as defined

 

 

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1    under Section 2 of the Crime Victims Compensation Act.
2        (23) "Victim services organization" means a nonprofit,
3    nongovernmental organization that provides assistance to
4    victims of domestic violence, sexual violence, or gender
5    violence, or any other crime of violence or to advocates
6    for such victims, including a rape crisis center, an
7    organization carrying out a domestic violence program, an
8    organization operating a shelter or providing counseling
9    services, or a legal services organization or other
10    organization providing assistance through the legal
11    process.
12(Source: P.A. 101-221, eff. 1-1-20.)
 
13    (820 ILCS 180/20)
14    Sec. 20. Entitlement to leave due to criminal violence
15domestic violence, sexual violence, or gender violence.
16    (a) Leave requirement.
17        (1) Basis. An employee who is a victim of domestic
18    violence, sexual violence, or gender violence, or any other
19    crime of violence or an employee who has a family or
20    household member who is a victim of domestic violence,
21    sexual violence, or gender violence, or any other crime of
22    violence whose interests are not adverse to the employee as
23    it relates to the domestic violence, sexual violence, or
24    gender violence, or any other crime of violence may take
25    unpaid leave from work if the employee or employee's family

 

 

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1    or household member is experiencing an incident of domestic
2    violence, sexual violence, or gender violence, or any other
3    crime of violence or to address domestic violence, sexual
4    violence, or gender violence, or any other crime of
5    violence by:
6            (A) seeking medical attention for, or recovering
7        from, physical or psychological injuries caused by
8        domestic violence, sexual violence, or gender
9        violence, or any other crime of violence to the
10        employee or the employee's family or household member;
11            (B) obtaining services from a victim services
12        organization for the employee or the employee's family
13        or household member;
14            (C) obtaining psychological or other counseling
15        for the employee or the employee's family or household
16        member;
17            (D) participating in safety planning, temporarily
18        or permanently relocating, or taking other actions to
19        increase the safety of the employee or the employee's
20        family or household member from future domestic
21        violence, sexual violence, or gender violence, or any
22        other crime of violence or ensure economic security; or
23            (E) seeking legal assistance or remedies to ensure
24        the health and safety of the employee or the employee's
25        family or household member, including preparing for or
26        participating in any civil or criminal legal

 

 

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1        proceeding related to or derived from domestic
2        violence, sexual violence, or gender violence, or any
3        other crime of violence.
4        (2) Period. Subject to subsection (c), an employee
5    working for an employer that employs at least 50 employees
6    shall be entitled to a total of 12 workweeks of leave
7    during any 12-month period. Subject to subsection (c), an
8    employee working for an employer that employs at least 15
9    but not more than 49 employees shall be entitled to a total
10    of 8 workweeks of leave during any 12-month period. Subject
11    to subsection (c), an employee working for an employer that
12    employs at least one but not more than 14 employees shall
13    be entitled to a total of 4 workweeks of leave during any
14    12-month period. The total number of workweeks to which an
15    employee is entitled shall not decrease during the relevant
16    12-month period. This Act does not create a right for an
17    employee to take unpaid leave that exceeds the unpaid leave
18    time allowed under, or is in addition to the unpaid leave
19    time permitted by, the federal Family and Medical Leave Act
20    of 1993 (29 U.S.C. 2601 et seq.).
21        (3) Schedule. Leave described in paragraph (1) may be
22    taken intermittently or on a reduced work schedule.
23    (b) Notice. The employee shall provide the employer with at
24least 48 hours' advance notice of the employee's intention to
25take the leave, unless providing such notice is not
26practicable. When an unscheduled absence occurs, the employer

 

 

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1may not take any action against the employee if the employee,
2upon request of the employer and within a reasonable period
3after the absence, provides certification under subsection
4(c).
5    (c) Certification.
6        (1) In general. The employer may require the employee
7    to provide certification to the employer that:
8            (A) the employee or the employee's family or
9        household member is a victim of domestic violence,
10        sexual violence, or gender violence, or any other crime
11        of violence; and
12            (B) the leave is for one of the purposes enumerated
13        in paragraph (a)(1).
14        The employee shall provide such certification to the
15    employer within a reasonable period after the employer
16    requests certification.
17        (2) Contents. An employee may satisfy the
18    certification requirement of paragraph (1) by providing to
19    the employer a sworn statement of the employee, and upon
20    obtaining such documents the employee shall provide:
21            (A) documentation from an employee, agent, or
22        volunteer of a victim services organization, an
23        attorney, a member of the clergy, or a medical or other
24        professional from whom the employee or the employee's
25        family or household member has sought assistance in
26        addressing domestic violence, sexual violence, or

 

 

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1        gender violence, or any other crime of violence and the
2        effects of the violence;
3            (B) a police or court record; or
4            (C) other corroborating evidence.
5    (d) Confidentiality. All information provided to the
6employer pursuant to subsection (b) or (c), including a
7statement of the employee or any other documentation, record,
8or corroborating evidence, and the fact that the employee has
9requested or obtained leave pursuant to this Section, shall be
10retained in the strictest confidence by the employer, except to
11the extent that disclosure is:
12        (1) requested or consented to in writing by the
13    employee; or
14        (2) otherwise required by applicable federal or State
15    law.
16    (e) Employment and benefits.
17        (1) Restoration to position.
18            (A) In general. Any employee who takes leave under
19        this Section for the intended purpose of the leave
20        shall be entitled, on return from such leave:
21                (i) to be restored by the employer to the
22            position of employment held by the employee when
23            the leave commenced; or
24                (ii) to be restored to an equivalent position
25            with equivalent employment benefits, pay, and
26            other terms and conditions of employment.

 

 

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1            (B) Loss of benefits. The taking of leave under
2        this Section shall not result in the loss of any
3        employment benefit accrued prior to the date on which
4        the leave commenced.
5            (C) Limitations. Nothing in this subsection shall
6        be construed to entitle any restored employee to:
7                (i) the accrual of any seniority or employment
8            benefits during any period of leave; or
9                (ii) any right, benefit, or position of
10            employment other than any right, benefit, or
11            position to which the employee would have been
12            entitled had the employee not taken the leave.
13            (D) Construction. Nothing in this paragraph shall
14        be construed to prohibit an employer from requiring an
15        employee on leave under this Section to report
16        periodically to the employer on the status and
17        intention of the employee to return to work.
18        (2) Maintenance of health benefits.
19            (A) Coverage. Except as provided in subparagraph
20        (B), during any period that an employee takes leave
21        under this Section, the employer shall maintain
22        coverage for the employee and any family or household
23        member under any group health plan for the duration of
24        such leave at the level and under the conditions
25        coverage would have been provided if the employee had
26        continued in employment continuously for the duration

 

 

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1        of such leave.
2            (B) Failure to return from leave. The employer may
3        recover the premium that the employer paid for
4        maintaining coverage for the employee and the
5        employee's family or household member under such group
6        health plan during any period of leave under this
7        Section if:
8                (i) the employee fails to return from leave
9            under this Section after the period of leave to
10            which the employee is entitled has expired; and
11                (ii) the employee fails to return to work for a
12            reason other than:
13                    (I) the continuation, recurrence, or onset
14                of domestic violence, sexual violence, or
15                gender violence, or any other crime of violence
16                that entitles the employee to leave pursuant to
17                this Section; or
18                    (II) other circumstances beyond the
19                control of the employee.
20            (C) Certification.
21                (i) Issuance. An employer may require an
22            employee who claims that the employee is unable to
23            return to work because of a reason described in
24            subclause (I) or (II) of subparagraph (B)(ii) to
25            provide, within a reasonable period after making
26            the claim, certification to the employer that the

 

 

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1            employee is unable to return to work because of
2            that reason.
3                (ii) Contents. An employee may satisfy the
4            certification requirement of clause (i) by
5            providing to the employer:
6                    (I) a sworn statement of the employee;
7                    (II) documentation from an employee,
8                agent, or volunteer of a victim services
9                organization, an attorney, a member of the
10                clergy, or a medical or other professional from
11                whom the employee has sought assistance in
12                addressing domestic violence, sexual violence,
13                or gender violence, or any other crime of
14                violence and the effects of that violence;
15                    (III) a police or court record; or
16                    (IV) other corroborating evidence.
17            (D) Confidentiality. All information provided to
18        the employer pursuant to subparagraph (C), including a
19        statement of the employee or any other documentation,
20        record, or corroborating evidence, and the fact that
21        the employee is not returning to work because of a
22        reason described in subclause (I) or (II) of
23        subparagraph (B)(ii) shall be retained in the
24        strictest confidence by the employer, except to the
25        extent that disclosure is:
26                (i) requested or consented to in writing by the

 

 

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1            employee; or
2                (ii) otherwise required by applicable federal
3            or State law.
4    (f) Prohibited acts.
5        (1) Interference with rights.
6            (A) Exercise of rights. It shall be unlawful for
7        any employer to interfere with, restrain, or deny the
8        exercise of or the attempt to exercise any right
9        provided under this Section.
10            (B) Employer discrimination. It shall be unlawful
11        for any employer to discharge or harass any individual,
12        or otherwise discriminate against any individual with
13        respect to compensation, terms, conditions, or
14        privileges of employment of the individual (including
15        retaliation in any form or manner) because the
16        individual:
17                (i) exercised any right provided under this
18            Section; or
19                (ii) opposed any practice made unlawful by
20            this Section.
21            (C) Public agency sanctions. It shall be unlawful
22        for any public agency to deny, reduce, or terminate the
23        benefits of, otherwise sanction, or harass any
24        individual, or otherwise discriminate against any
25        individual with respect to the amount, terms, or
26        conditions of public assistance of the individual

 

 

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1        (including retaliation in any form or manner) because
2        the individual:
3                (i) exercised any right provided under this
4            Section; or
5                (ii) opposed any practice made unlawful by
6            this Section.
7        (2) Interference with proceedings or inquiries. It
8    shall be unlawful for any person to discharge or in any
9    other manner discriminate (as described in subparagraph
10    (B) or (C) of paragraph (1)) against any individual because
11    such individual:
12            (A) has filed any charge, or has instituted or
13        caused to be instituted any proceeding, under or
14        related to this Section;
15            (B) has given, or is about to give, any information
16        in connection with any inquiry or proceeding relating
17        to any right provided under this Section; or
18            (C) has testified, or is about to testify, in any
19        inquiry or proceeding relating to any right provided
20        under this Section.
21(Source: P.A. 101-221, eff. 1-1-20.)
 
22    (820 ILCS 180/25)
23    Sec. 25. Existing leave usable for addressing criminal
24violence domestic violence, sexual violence, or gender
25violence. An employee who is entitled to take paid or unpaid

 

 

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1leave (including family, medical, sick, annual, personal, or
2similar leave) from employment, pursuant to federal, State, or
3local law, a collective bargaining agreement, or an employment
4benefits program or plan, may elect to substitute any period of
5such leave for an equivalent period of leave provided under
6Section 20. The employer may not require the employee to
7substitute available paid or unpaid leave for leave provided
8under Section 20.
9(Source: P.A. 101-221, eff. 1-1-20.)
 
10    (820 ILCS 180/30)
11    Sec. 30. Victims' employment sustainability; prohibited
12discriminatory acts.
13    (a) An employer shall not fail to hire, refuse to hire,
14discharge, constructively discharge, or harass any individual,
15otherwise discriminate against any individual with respect to
16the compensation, terms, conditions, or privileges of
17employment of the individual, or retaliate against an
18individual in any form or manner, and a public agency shall not
19deny, reduce, or terminate the benefits of, otherwise sanction,
20or harass any individual, otherwise discriminate against any
21individual with respect to the amount, terms, or conditions of
22public assistance of the individual, or retaliate against an
23individual in any form or manner, because:
24        (1) the individual involved:
25            (A) is or is perceived to be a victim of domestic

 

 

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1        violence, sexual violence, or gender violence, or any
2        other crime of violence;
3            (B) attended, participated in, prepared for, or
4        requested leave to attend, participate in, or prepare
5        for a criminal or civil court proceeding relating to an
6        incident of domestic violence, sexual violence, or
7        gender violence, or any other crime of violence of
8        which the individual or a family or household member of
9        the individual was a victim, or requested or took leave
10        for any other reason provided under Section 20;
11            (C) requested an adjustment to a job structure,
12        workplace facility, or work requirement, including a
13        transfer, reassignment, or modified schedule, leave, a
14        changed telephone number or seating assignment,
15        installation of a lock, or implementation of a safety
16        procedure in response to actual or threatened domestic
17        violence, sexual violence, or gender violence, or any
18        other crime of violence, regardless of whether the
19        request was granted; or
20            (D) is an employee whose employer is subject to
21        Section 21 of the Workplace Violence Prevention Act; or
22        (2) the workplace is disrupted or threatened by the
23    action of a person whom the individual states has committed
24    or threatened to commit domestic violence, sexual
25    violence, or gender violence, or any other crime of
26    violence against the individual or the individual's family

 

 

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1    or household member.
2    (b) In this Section:
3        (1) "Discriminate", used with respect to the terms,
4    conditions, or privileges of employment or with respect to
5    the terms or conditions of public assistance, includes not
6    making a reasonable accommodation to the known limitations
7    resulting from circumstances relating to being a victim of
8    domestic violence, sexual violence, or gender violence, or
9    any other crime of violence or a family or household member
10    being a victim of domestic violence, sexual violence, or
11    gender violence, or any other crime of violence of an
12    otherwise qualified individual:
13            (A) who is:
14                (i) an applicant or employee of the employer
15            (including a public agency); or
16                (ii) an applicant for or recipient of public
17            assistance from a public agency; and
18            (B) who is:
19                (i) a victim of domestic violence, sexual
20            violence, or gender violence, or any other crime of
21            violence; or
22                (ii) with a family or household member who is a
23            victim of domestic violence, sexual violence, or
24            gender violence, or any other crime of violence
25            whose interests are not adverse to the individual
26            in subparagraph (A) as it relates to the domestic

 

 

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1            violence, sexual violence, or gender violence, or
2            any other crime of violence;
3    unless the employer or public agency can demonstrate that
4    the accommodation would impose an undue hardship on the
5    operation of the employer or public agency.
6        A reasonable accommodation must be made in a timely
7    fashion. Any exigent circumstances or danger facing the
8    employee or his or her family or household member shall be
9    considered in determining whether the accommodation is
10    reasonable.
11        (2) "Qualified individual" means:
12            (A) in the case of an applicant or employee
13        described in paragraph (1)(A)(i), an individual who,
14        but for being a victim of domestic violence, sexual
15        violence, or gender violence, or any other crime of
16        violence or with a family or household member who is a
17        victim of domestic violence, sexual violence, or
18        gender violence, or any other crime of violence, can
19        perform the essential functions of the employment
20        position that such individual holds or desires; or
21            (B) in the case of an applicant or recipient
22        described in paragraph (1)(A)(ii), an individual who,
23        but for being a victim of domestic violence, sexual
24        violence, or gender violence, or any other crime of
25        violence or with a family or household member who is a
26        victim of domestic violence, sexual violence, or

 

 

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1        gender violence, or any other crime of violence, can
2        satisfy the essential requirements of the program
3        providing the public assistance that the individual
4        receives or desires.
5        (3) "Reasonable accommodation" may include an
6    adjustment to a job structure, workplace facility, or work
7    requirement, including a transfer, reassignment, or
8    modified schedule, leave, a changed telephone number or
9    seating assignment, installation of a lock, or
10    implementation of a safety procedure, or assistance in
11    documenting domestic violence, sexual violence, or gender
12    violence, or any other crime of violence that occurs at the
13    workplace or in work-related settings, in response to
14    actual or threatened domestic violence, sexual violence,
15    or gender violence, or any other crime of violence.
16        (4) Undue hardship.
17            (A) In general. "Undue hardship" means an action
18        requiring significant difficulty or expense, when
19        considered in light of the factors set forth in
20        subparagraph (B).
21            (B) Factors to be considered. In determining
22        whether a reasonable accommodation would impose an
23        undue hardship on the operation of an employer or
24        public agency, factors to be considered include:
25                (i) the nature and cost of the reasonable
26            accommodation needed under this Section;

 

 

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1                (ii) the overall financial resources of the
2            facility involved in the provision of the
3            reasonable accommodation, the number of persons
4            employed at such facility, the effect on expenses
5            and resources, or the impact otherwise of such
6            accommodation on the operation of the facility;
7                (iii) the overall financial resources of the
8            employer or public agency, the overall size of the
9            business of an employer or public agency with
10            respect to the number of employees of the employer
11            or public agency, and the number, type, and
12            location of the facilities of an employer or public
13            agency; and
14                (iv) the type of operation of the employer or
15            public agency, including the composition,
16            structure, and functions of the workforce of the
17            employer or public agency, the geographic
18            separateness of the facility from the employer or
19            public agency, and the administrative or fiscal
20            relationship of the facility to the employer or
21            public agency.
22    (c) An employer subject to Section 21 of the Workplace
23Violence Prevention Act shall not violate any provisions of the
24Workplace Violence Prevention Act.
25(Source: P.A. 101-221, eff. 1-1-20.)
 

 

 

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1    (820 ILCS 180/45)
2    Sec. 45. Effect on other laws and employment benefits.
3    (a) More protective laws, agreements, programs, and plans.
4Nothing in this Act shall be construed to supersede any
5provision of any federal, State, or local law, collective
6bargaining agreement, or employment benefits program or plan
7that provides:
8        (1) greater leave benefits for victims of domestic
9    violence, sexual violence, or gender violence, or any other
10    crime of violence than the rights established under this
11    Act; or
12        (2) leave benefits for a larger population of victims
13    of domestic violence, sexual violence, or gender violence
14    (as defined in such law, agreement, program, or plan), or
15    any other crime of violence than the victims of domestic
16    violence, sexual violence, or gender violence, or any other
17    crime of violence covered under this Act.
18    (b) Less protective laws, agreements, programs, and plans.
19The rights established for employees who are victims of
20domestic violence, sexual violence, or gender violence, or any
21other crime of violence and employees with a family or
22household member who is a victim of domestic violence, sexual
23violence, or gender violence, or any other crime of violence
24under this Act shall not be diminished by any federal, State or
25local law, collective bargaining agreement, or employment
26benefits program or plan.

 

 

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1(Source: P.A. 101-221, eff. 1-1-20.)
 
2    Section 10. The Unemployment Insurance Act is amended by
3changing Section 601 as follows:
 
4    (820 ILCS 405/601)  (from Ch. 48, par. 431)
5    Sec. 601. Voluntary leaving.
6    A. An individual shall be ineligible for benefits for the
7week in which the individual he or she has left work
8voluntarily without good cause attributable to the employing
9unit and, thereafter, until the individual he or she has become
10reemployed and has had earnings equal to or in excess of the
11individual's his or her current weekly benefit amount in each
12of four calendar weeks which are either for services in
13employment, or have been or will be reported pursuant to the
14provisions of the Federal Insurance Contributions Act by each
15employing unit for which such services are performed and which
16submits a statement certifying to that fact.
17    B. The provisions of this Section shall not apply to an
18individual who has left work voluntarily:
19        1. Because the individual he or she is deemed
20    physically unable to perform his or her work by a licensed
21    and practicing physician, or because the individual's
22    assistance is necessary for the purpose of caring for the
23    individual's his or her spouse, child, or parent who,
24    according to a licensed and practicing physician or as

 

 

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1    otherwise reasonably verified, is in poor physical or
2    mental health or is a person with a mental or physical
3    disability and the employer is unable to accommodate the
4    individual's need to provide such assistance;
5        2. To accept other bona fide work and, after such
6    acceptance, the individual is either not unemployed in each
7    of 2 weeks, or earns remuneration for such work equal to at
8    least twice the individual's his or her current weekly
9    benefit amount;
10        3. In lieu of accepting a transfer to other work
11    offered to the individual by the employing unit under the
12    terms of a collective bargaining agreement or pursuant to
13    an established employer plan, program, or policy, if the
14    acceptance of such other work by the individual would
15    require the separation from that work of another individual
16    currently performing it;
17        4. Solely because of the sexual harassment of the
18    individual by another employee. Sexual harassment means
19    (1) unwelcome sexual advances, requests for sexual favors,
20    sexually motivated physical contact or other conduct or
21    communication which is made a term or condition of the
22    employment or (2) the employee's submission to or rejection
23    of such conduct or communication which is the basis for
24    decisions affecting employment, or (3) when such conduct or
25    communication has the purpose or effect of substantially
26    interfering with an individual's work performance or

 

 

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1    creating an intimidating, hostile, or offensive working
2    environment and the employer knows or should know of the
3    existence of the harassment and fails to take timely and
4    appropriate action;
5        5. Which the individual he or she had accepted after
6    separation from other work, and the work which the
7    individual he or she left voluntarily would be deemed
8    unsuitable under the provisions of Section 603;
9        6.(a) Because the individual left work due to verified
10    domestic violence as defined in Section 103 of the Illinois
11    Domestic Violence Act of 1986 where the domestic violence
12    caused the individual to reasonably believe that the
13    individual's his or her continued employment would
14    jeopardize the individual's his or her safety or the safety
15    of the individual's his or her spouse, minor child, or
16    parent
17        if the individual provides the following:
18            (i) notice to the employing unit of the reason for
19        the individual's voluntarily leaving; and
20            (ii) to the Department provides:
21                (A) an order of protection or other
22            documentation of equitable relief issued by a
23            court of competent jurisdiction; or
24                (B) a police report or criminal charges
25            documenting the domestic violence; or
26                (C) medical documentation of the domestic

 

 

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1            violence; or
2                (D) evidence of domestic violence from a
3            member of the clergy, attorney, counselor, social
4            worker, health worker or domestic violence shelter
5            worker.
6        (b) If the individual does not meet the provisions of
7    subparagraph (a), the individual shall be held to have
8    voluntarily terminated employment for the purpose of
9    determining the individual's eligibility for benefits
10    pursuant to subsection A.
11        (c) Notwithstanding any other provision to the
12    contrary, evidence of domestic violence experienced by an
13    individual, or the individual's his or her spouse, minor
14    child, or parent, including the individual's statement and
15    corroborating evidence, shall not be disclosed by the
16    Department unless consent for disclosure is given by the
17    individual; .
18        7. Because, due to a change in location of employment
19    of the individual's spouse, the individual left work to
20    accompany the individual's his or her spouse to a place
21    from which it is impractical to commute or because the
22    individual left employment to accompany a spouse who has
23    been reassigned from one military assignment to another.
24    The employer's account, however, shall not be charged for
25    any benefits paid out to the individual who leaves work
26    under a circumstance described in this paragraph; or .

 

 

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1        8. Because the individual left work due to an incident
2    involving a crime of violence in which the individual or a
3    family member of the individual was a victim. For the
4    purposes of this paragraph, "crime of violence" and
5    "victim" have the same meanings as provided under Section 2
6    of the Crime Victims Compensation Act.
7    C. Within 90 days of the effective date of this amendatory
8Act of the 96th General Assembly, the Department shall
9promulgate rules, pursuant to the Illinois Administrative
10Procedure Act and consistent with Section 903(f)(3)(B) of the
11Social Security Act, to clarify and provide guidance regarding
12eligibility and the prevention of fraud.
13(Source: P.A. 99-143, eff. 7-27-15.)