Section 5300.10  Definition of Terms

Where used in this Part, unless the context otherwise clearly requires:

"Act" means the Illinois Human Rights Act [775 ILCS 5].

"Administrative Law Judge" means a hearing officer appointed by the Commission pursuant to Section 8-102(D) of the Act.

"Aggrieved Party" means a person who is alleged or proven to have been injured by a civil rights violation or believes he or she will be injured by a civil rights violation under Article 3 of the Act that is about to occur.  (Section 1-103(B) of the Act)

"Chairperson" or "Chair" means the chief presiding officer of the Commission, designated by the Governor.

"Charge" means an allegation of a civil rights violation filed with or initiated by the Department in accordance with the Act and this Part.

"Civil Rights Violation" means any of the acts or practices constituting civil rights violations under Sections 2-102, 2-103, 2-105(C), 3-102, 3-102.1, 3-103, 3-104, 3-105, 4-102, 4-103, 5-102, 5A-102 and 6-101 of the Act.

"Commission" means the Illinois Human Rights Commission.

"Commissioner" means any duly appointed member of the Human Rights Commission, including, unless the context otherwise requires, the Chairperson.

"Complainant" means a person who files a charge with the Department, including the Department in the case of a charge initiated by the Department itself.  The term shall have the same meaning in connection with a complaint filed by the Department or by an aggrieved party with the Commission.

"Complaint" means a written complaint for hearing filed by the Department or by an aggrieved party with the Commission in accordance with the Act and this Part.

"Department" means the Department of Human Rights (DHR).

"Director" means the Director of the Department or a duly authorized designee.

"Electronic Filing" means filing a document in transferable electronic format via the internet or facsimile.

"Executive Director" means the Executive Director of the Commission or a duly authorized designee.

"Party" means a person designated as complainant or respondent in a charge or complaint.

"Person" has the meaning prescribed in Section 1-103 of the Act.

"Respondent" means a person against whom a charge or complaint is filed in accordance with the Act and this Part.

"Vice Chair" means the Commissioner, selected by the Commission to serve in that capacity, who is authorized to act in the absence of the Chairperson to ensure that vacancies do not impair the right of the remaining members to exercise all the powers of the Commission (Section 8-101(C)(3) of the Act).

(Source:  Amended at 46 Ill. Reg. 17343, effective October 5, 2022)