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subsection (c) of Section 4 of the Minimum Wage Law.
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(820 ILCS 115/11) (from Ch. 48, par. 39m-11)
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Sec. 11. It shall be the duty of the Department of Labor to |
inquire diligently
for any violations of this Act, and to |
institute the actions for penalties
herein provided, and to |
enforce generally the provisions of this Act.
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An employee may file a complaint with the Department |
alleging violations of the Act by submitting a signed, |
completed wage claim application on the form provided by the |
Department and by submitting copies of all supporting |
documentation. Complaints shall be filed within one year after |
the wages, final compensation, or wage supplements were due. |
Applications shall be reviewed by the Department to |
determine whether there is cause for investigation.
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The Department shall have the following powers:
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(a) To investigate and attempt equitably to adjust |
controversies between
employees and employers in respect |
of wage claims arising under this Act
and to that end the |
Department through the Director of Labor or any other
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person in the Department of Labor designated by him or her, |
shall have the
power to administer oaths, subpoena and |
examine witnesses, to issue subpoenas
duces tecum |
requiring the production of such books, papers, records and
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documents as may be evidence of any matter under inquiry |
and to examine and
inspect the same as may relate to the |
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question in dispute. Service of such
subpoenas shall be |
made by any sheriff or any person. Any
court in this State, |
upon the application of the Department
may compel |
attendance of witnesses, the
production of books and |
papers, and the giving of testimony before the
Department |
by attachment for contempt or in any other way as the |
production
of evidence may be compelled before such court.
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(b) To take assignments of wage claims in the name of |
the Director of
Labor and his or her successors in office |
and prosecute actions for the
collection of wages for |
persons financially unable to prosecute such claims when in
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the judgment of the Department such claims are valid and |
enforceable in the
courts. No court costs or any fees for |
necessary process and
proceedings shall be payable in |
advance by the Department for prosecuting
such actions. In |
the event there is a judgment rendered against the
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defendant, the court shall assess as part of such judgment |
the costs of
such proceeding. Upon collection of such |
judgments the Department shall pay
from the proceeds of |
such judgment such costs to such person who is by law
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entitled to same. The Department may join in a single |
proceeding any number
of wage claims against the same |
employer but the court shall have
discretionary power to |
order a severance or separate trial for hearings.
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(c) To make complaint in any court of competent |
jurisdiction of
violations of this Act.
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(d) In addition to the aforementioned powers, subject |
to appropriation, the Department may establish an |
administrative procedure to adjudicate claims and to issue |
final and binding administrative decisions on such claims |
subject to the Administrative Review Law. To establish such |
a procedure, the Director of Labor or her or his authorized |
representative may promulgate rules and regulations. The |
adoption, amendment or rescission of rules and regulations |
for such a procedure shall be in conformity with the |
requirements of the Illinois Administrative Procedure Act. |
If a final and binding administrative decision issued by |
the Department requires an employer or other party to pay |
wages, penalties, or other amounts in connection with a |
wage claim, and the employer or other party has neither: |
(i) made the required payment within 35 days of the |
issuance of the final and binding administrative decision; |
nor (ii) timely filed a complaint seeking review of the |
final and binding administrative decision pursuant to the |
Administrative Review Law in a court of competent |
jurisdiction, the Department may file a verified petition |
against the employer or other party to enforce the final |
administrative decision and to collect any amounts due in |
connection therewith in the circuit court of any county |
where an official office of the Department is located. |
Nothing herein shall be construed to prevent any employee |
from making
complaint or prosecuting his or her own claim for |
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wages. Any employee aggrieved by a violation of this Act or any |
rule adopted under this Act may file suit in circuit court of |
Illinois, in the county where the alleged violation occurred or |
where any employee who is party to the action resides, without |
regard to exhaustion of any alternative administrative |
remedies provided in this Act. Actions may be brought by one or |
more employees for and on behalf of themselves and other |
employees similarly situated.
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Nothing herein shall be construed to limit the authority of |
the State's
attorney of any county to prosecute actions for |
violation of this Act or
to enforce the provisions thereof |
independently and without specific direction
of the Department |
of Labor.
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(Source: P.A. 98-527, eff. 1-1-14.)
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