SB1547 96TH GENERAL ASSEMBLY

LRB096 10895 WGH 21135 b

96TH GENERAL ASSEMBLY
State of Illinois
2009 and 2010
SB1547

Introduced 2/18/2009, by Sen. Emil Jones, III

SYNOPSIS AS INTRODUCED:

820 ILCS 115/14

from Ch. 48, par. 39m-14

Amends the Illinois Wage Payment and Collection Act. Provides that if an employer fails to include all commissions earned by a separated employee in the final compensation paid to the separated employee within the time limit set forth in the Act, the employer shall, in addition to any other penalties, pay the employee an amount equal to 3 times the amount of the commissions that were not paid, as well as the employee's court costs, attorney's fees, and any other associated costs incurred in successfully pursuing a legal action against the employer. Effective immediately.

A BILL FOR

AN ACT concerning employment.

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

Section 5. The Illinois Wage Payment and Collection Act is amended by changing Section 14 as follows:

(820 ILCS 115/14) (from Ch. 48, par. 39m-14)

Sec. 14. (a) Any employer or any agent of an employer, who, being able to pay wages, final compensation, or wage supplements and being under a duty to pay, wilfully refuses to pay as provided in this Act, or falsely denies the amount or validity thereof or that the same is due, with intent to secure for himself or other person any underpayment of such indebtedness or with intent to annoy, harass, oppress, hinder, delay or defraud the person to whom such indebtedness is due, upon conviction, is guilty of a Class C misdemeanor. Each day during which any violation of this Act continues shall constitute a separate and distinct offense.

(a-5) If an employer fails to include all commissions earned by a separated employee in the final compensation paid to the separated employee within the time limit set forth in Section 5, the employer shall, in addition to any other penalties, pay the employee an amount equal to 3 times the amount of the commissions that were not paid, as well as the employee's court costs, attorney's fees, and any other associated costs incurred in successfully pursuing a legal action against the employer.

(b) Any employer who has been demanded by the Director of Labor or ordered by the court to pay wages due an employee and who shall fail to do so within 15 days after such demand or order is entered shall be liable to pay a penalty of 1% per calendar day to the employee for each day of delay in paying such wages to the employee up to an amount equal to twice the sum of unpaid wages due the employee. Such employer shall also be liable to the Department of Labor for 20% of such unpaid wages.

(b-5) Penalties under this Section may be recovered in a civil action brought by the Director in any circuit court. In this litigation, the Director of Labor shall be represented by the Attorney General.

(c) 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 employer, or to the Director of Labor or his authorized representative, that he or she has not been paid in accordance with the provisions of this Act, or because that employee has caused to be instituted any proceeding under or related to this Act, or because that employee has testified or is about to testify in an investigation or proceeding under this Act, is guilty, upon conviction, of a Class C misdemeanor.

(Source: P.A. 94-1025, eff. 7-14-06; 95-209, eff. 8-16-07.)

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