HB2591 EnrolledLRB098 07302 JLS 37365 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 1. Short title. This Act may be cited as the
5Illinois Employment First Act.
 
6    Section 5. Policy. It is the policy of this State that
7competitive and integrated employment shall be considered the
8first option when serving persons with disabilities of working
9age. This policy applies to programs and services that provide
10services and supports to help persons with disabilities obtain
11employment. All State agencies shall follow this policy and
12ensure that it is effectively implemented in their programs and
13services. Nothing in this Section shall be construed to require
14any employer to give preference to hiring persons with
15disabilities.
 
16    Section 10. Definitions. As used in this Act:
17    "Competitive employment" means work in the competitive
18labor market that is performed on a full-time or part-time
19basis in an integrated setting and for which an individual is
20compensated at or above the minimum wage, but not less than the
21customary wage and level of benefits paid by the employer for
22the same or similar work performed by individuals who are not

 

 

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1disabled.
2    "Disability" has the meaning ascribed to that term in
3Section 10 of the Disabilities Services Act of 2003.
4    "Integrated setting" means with respect to an employment
5outcome, a setting typically found in the community in which
6applicants or eligible individuals interact with non-disabled
7individuals, other than non-disabled individuals who are
8providing services to those applicants or eligible
9individuals, to the same extent that non-disabled individuals
10in comparable positions interact with other persons.
11    "State agency" means and includes all boards, commissions,
12agencies, institutions, authorities, and bodies politic and
13corporate of the State, created by or in accordance with the
14Illinois Constitution or State statute, of the executive branch
15of State government and does include colleges, universities,
16public employee retirement systems, and institutions under the
17jurisdiction of the governing boards of the University of
18Illinois, Southern Illinois University, Illinois State
19University, Eastern Illinois University, Northern Illinois
20University, Western Illinois University, Chicago State
21University, Governors State University, Northeastern Illinois
22University, and the Illinois Board of Higher Education.
 
23    Section 15. Agency coordination. All State agencies shall
24coordinate efforts and shall collaborate within and among such
25agencies to ensure that State programs, policies, procedures,

 

 

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1and funding support competitive and integrated employment of
2persons with disabilities. All State agencies shall, whenever
3feasible, share data and information across systems in order to
4track progress toward full implementation of this Act. State
5agencies are authorized to adopt rules to implement this Act.
 
6    Section 20. Establishment of measurable goals and
7objectives. The Employment and Economic Opportunity for
8Persons with Disabilities Task Force established under the
9Employment and Economic Opportunity for Persons with
10Disabilities Task Force Act shall establish measurable goals
11and objectives for the State to ensure implementation of this
12Act and monitor the measured progress toward implementation of
13this Act. All State agencies shall fully cooperate with the
14Task Force and provide data and information to assist the Task
15Force in carrying out its responsibilities. The Task Force
16shall include in its annual report a progress report on the
17implementation of this Act and any recommendations with respect
18to the implementation of this Act.
 
19    Section 99. Effective date. This Act takes effect upon
20becoming law.