Public Act 0467 96TH GENERAL ASSEMBLY

HB3634 Enrolled LRB096 03765 WGH 13795 b

Public Act 096-0467

AN ACT concerning employment.

Be it enacted by the People of the State of Illinois, represented in the General Assembly:

Section 5. The Equal Pay Act of 2003 is amended by changing Sections 15, 20, 30, and 35 as follows:

(820 ILCS 112/15)

Sec. 15. Enforcement.

(a) The Director or his or her authorized representative shall administer and enforce the provisions of this Act. The Director of Labor shall adopt rules necessary to administer and enforce this Act.

(b) An employee or former employee may file a complaint with the Department alleging a violation of this Act by submitting a signed, completed complaint form. All complaints shall be filed with the Department within one year from the date of the underpayment.

(c) The Department has the power to conduct investigations in connection with the administration and enforcement of this Act and the authorized officers and employees of the Department are authorized to investigate and gather data regarding the wages, hours, and other conditions and practices of employment in any industry subject to this Act, and may enter and inspect such places and such records at reasonable times during regular business hours, question the employees and investigate the facts, conditions, practices, or matters as he or she may deem necessary or appropriate to determine whether any person has violated any provision of this Act, or which may aid in the enforcement of this Act.

(Source: P.A. 93-6, eff. 1-1-04.)

(820 ILCS 112/20)

Sec. 20. Recordkeeping requirements. An employer subject to any provision of this Act shall make and preserve records that document the name, address, and occupation of each employee, the wages paid to each employee, and any other information the Director may by rule deem necessary and appropriate for enforcement of this Act. An employer subject to any provision of this Act shall preserve those records for a period of not less than 5 3 years and shall make reports from the records as prescribed by rule or order of the Director, unless the records relate to an ongoing investigation or enforcement action under this Act, in which case the records must be maintained until their destruction is authorized by the Department or by court order.

(Source: P.A. 93-6, eff. 1-1-04.)

(820 ILCS 112/30)

Sec. 30. Violations; fines and penalties.

(a) If an employee is paid by his or her employer less than the wage to which he or she is entitled in violation of Section 10 of this Act, the employee may recover in a civil action the entire amount of any underpayment together with interest and the costs and reasonable attorney's fees as may be allowed by the court and as necessary to make the employee whole. At the request of the employee or on a motion of the Director, the Department may make an assignment of the wage claim in trust for the assigning employee and may bring any legal action necessary to collect the claim, and the employer shall be required to pay the costs incurred in collecting the claim. Every such action shall be brought within 5 3 years from the date the employee learned of the underpayment. For purposes of this Act, "date of the underpayment" means each time wages are underpaid.

(b) The Director is authorized to supervise the payment of the unpaid wages owing to any employee or employees under this Act and may bring any legal action necessary to recover the amount of unpaid wages and penalties and the employer shall be required to pay the costs. Any sums recovered by the Director on behalf of an employee under this Section shall be paid to the employee or employees affected.

(c) Any employer who violates any provision of this Act or any rule adopted under the Act is subject to a civil penalty not to exceed $2,500 for each violation for each employee affected. In determining the amount of the penalty, the appropriateness of the penalty to the size of the business of the employer charged and the gravity of the violation shall be considered. The penalty may be recovered in a civil action brought by the Director in any circuit court.

(Source: P.A. 93-6, eff. 1-1-04.)

(820 ILCS 112/35)

Sec. 35. Refusal to pay wages or final compensation; retaliatory discharge or discrimination.

(a) Any employer who has been demanded ordered by the Director of Labor or ordered by the court to pay wages due an employee and who fails to do so within 15 days after such demand or the order is entered shall be is liable to pay a penalty of 1% per calendar day to the employee for each day of delay in paying such the wages to the employee, up to an amount equal to twice the sum of unpaid wages due the employee.

(b) Any employer, or any agent of an employer, who knowingly discharges or in any other manner knowingly discriminates against any employee because that employee has made a complaint to his or her employer, or to the Director or his or her authorized representative, that he or she or any employee of the employer has not been paid in accordance with the provisions of this Act, or because that employee has instituted or caused to be instituted any proceeding under or related to this Act or consulted counsel for such purposes, or because that employee has testified or is about to testify in an investigation or proceeding under this Act, or offers any evidence of any violation of this Act, shall be liable to the employee for such legal and equitable relief as may be appropriate to effectuate the purposes of this Section, the value of any lost benefits, backpay, and front pay as appropriate so long as the employee has made reasonable efforts to mitigate his or her damages and an additional equal amount as liquidated damages.

(Source: P.A. 93-6, eff. 1-1-04.)

Section 99. Effective date. This Act takes effect upon becoming law.