Section 690.160  Complaints and Investigations

a)         The Department shall accept complaints from any interested person regarding alleged violations of the Act or this Part by a nurse agency.  Complaints may be filed by any interested person on a form provided by the Department at https://labor.illinois.gov/laws-rules/fls/nurse-agency-licensing-act.html.  The Department shall review all complaints and determine whether a reasonable basis exists to initiate an investigation.  The Department may initiate an investigation, with or without having received a complaint, if the Director reasonably believes that a nurse agency may be in violation of the Act.

b)         The Department shall notify the applicant or licensee in writing of the investigation and may require that the nurse agency provide information in response to the Department's inquiry. Upon receipt of a notice of investigation, the nurse agency shall respond to the Department and provide comments, relevant information, or other evidence to support the nurse agency's response to the claim. The Department may issue subpoenas in the course of an investigation as provided for in Section 690.220.

c)         The Department will review the information provided by the parties to determine if a violation of the Act or this Part occurred.  If the Department determines that a violation has occurred, then the Department may suspend or revoke a license under Sections 690.180 and issue a fine under Section 690.210.

d)         The Department may dismiss for lack of cause or assess penalties in accordance with Section 690.210.

e)         The names of persons who file complaints under this Section are considered confidential and are exempt from disclosure under section 7(1)(b) of the Freedom of Information Act [5 ILCS 140].

(Source:  Amended at 49 Ill. Reg. 6180, effective April 25, 2025)