ATTORNEY GENERAL RAOUL’S LEGISLATION TO EXPAND WORKER PROTECTIONS AGAINST RETALIATION SIGNED INTO LAW

ATTORNEY GENERAL RAOUL'S LEGISLATION TO EXPAND WORKER PROTECTIONS AGAINST RETALIATION SIGNED INTO LAW

August 12, 2024

Chicago - Attorney General Kwame Raoul today announced his legislation to fill existing voids in labor enforcement that leave workers unprotected from often-devastating employer retaliation when they seek to enforce their rights or blow the whistle on unlawful employer practices was signed into law.

"With the signing of this important workers' rights law, Illinois workers will no longer risk their livelihood and ability to provide for their families simply for asserting their basic workplace rights," Raoul said. "I appreciate Gov. Pritzker taking this final action and ensuring we encourage workers to step up and report dangerous or unlawful practices in the workplace. I thank Sen. Castro and Leader Evans for their consistent advocacy and hard work on this important workers' rights issue."

Raoul's legislation - contained in House Bill (HB) 5561 - will protect workers from retaliatory conduct by employers, strengthen current protections under state law and codify the authority of Raoul's Workplace Rights Bureau to investigate and hold employers who retaliate or threaten to retaliate accountable.

Specifically, the law will:

• Broaden the scope of conduct protected under the Illinois Whistleblower Act to protect employees who report violations of the law or threats to public health and safety directly to their employer.
• Expand the definition of retaliation to include blacklisting an employee from future opportunities and immigration-based retaliation.
• Provide express statutory authority to the Attorney General's office to bring suit against employers who retaliate or threaten retaliation against employees.

State Sen. Cristina Castro and Assistant Majority Leader Marcus C. Evans, Jr. sponsored the legislation in the Illinois General Assembly.

"Employees should be empowered to stand up and speak out about fraud, abuse, criminality and exploitation in the workplace - not intimidated into silence," said State Sen. Castro. "I've fought tooth and nail against unethical practices like wage theft, and expanding protections from retaliation is one more important step in safeguarding the rights of all workers in our state."

"I introduced HB 5561 to ensure workers are protected from retaliatory action and empowered to stand up when illegal or unsafe practices occur in the workplace," Leader Evans said. "I thank Attorney General Raoul for his leadership on this issue, and I look forward to continuing the work to protect workers across Illinois."

Attorney General Raoul's Workplace Rights Bureau protects and advances the employment rights of all Illinois residents, particularly the state's most vulnerable residents and immigrant populations. The bureau investigates and litigates cases involving serious or persistent wage law violations or other significant employment practices, and monitors and proposes legislation concerning labor and employment issues.

Attorney General Raoul encourages workers who wish to file a complaint about an employer's practices to call the Workplace Rights Hotline at 1-844-740-5076 or visit the Attorney General's website.