102ND GENERAL ASSEMBLY
State of Illinois
2021 and 2022
HB5574

 

Introduced 1/31/2022, by Rep. Denyse Wang Stoneback

 

SYNOPSIS AS INTRODUCED:
 
820 ILCS 96/1-15
820 ILCS 96/1-30

    Amends the Workplace Transparency Act. Provides that an employer may not require a prospective, current, or former employee to sign a confidentiality provision of a settlement agreement or termination agreement relating to a claim of discrimination, retaliation, harassment, or sexual assault in the workplace. Provides that a confidentiality provision is permissible when it relates to the monetary amount of a settlement or it prohibits disclosure of facts that could lead to the identification of the employee. Provides for notice requirements. Defines "confidentiality provision". Effective January 1, 2023.


LRB102 25102 SPS 34362 b

 

 

A BILL FOR

 

HB5574LRB102 25102 SPS 34362 b

1    AN ACT concerning employment.
 
2    Be it enacted by the People of the State of Illinois,
3represented in the General Assembly:
 
4    Section 5. The Workplace Transparency Act is amended by
5changing Sections 1-15 and 1-30 as follows:
 
6    (820 ILCS 96/1-15)
7    Sec. 1-15. Definitions. As used in this Act:
8    "Confidentiality provision" means a provision in an
9agreement which has the purpose or effect of concealing the
10details relating to a claim of discrimination, retaliation,
11harassment, or sexual assault brought by the employee subject
12to the agreement.
13    "Employee" has the same meaning as set forth in Section
142-101 of the Illinois Human Rights Act. "Employee" includes
15"nonemployees" as defined in Section 2-102 of the Illinois
16Human Rights Act.
17    "Employer" has the same meaning as set forth in Section
182-101 of the Illinois Human Rights Act.
19    "Mutual condition of employment or continued employment"
20means any contract, agreement, clause, covenant, or waiver
21negotiated between an employer and an employee or prospective
22employee in good faith for consideration in order to obtain or
23retain employment.

 

 

HB5574- 2 -LRB102 25102 SPS 34362 b

1    "Prospective employee" means a person seeking to enter an
2employment contract with an employer.
3    "Settlement agreement" means an agreement, contract, or
4clause within an agreement or contract entered into between an
5employee, prospective employee, or former employee and an
6employer to resolve a dispute or legal claim between the
7parties that arose or accrued before the settlement agreement
8was executed.
9    "Termination agreement" means a contract or agreement
10between an employee and an employer terminating the employment
11relationship.
12    "Unlawful employment practice" means any form of unlawful
13discrimination, harassment, or retaliation that is actionable
14under Article 2 of the Illinois Human Rights Act, Title VII of
15the Civil Rights Act of 1964, or any other related State or
16federal rule or law that is enforced by the Illinois
17Department of Human Rights or the Equal Employment Opportunity
18Commission.
19    "Unilateral condition of employment or continued
20employment" means any contract, agreement, clause, covenant,
21or waiver an employer requires an employee or prospective
22employee to accept as a non-negotiable material term in order
23to obtain or retain employment.
24(Source: P.A. 101-221, eff. 1-1-20.)
 
25    (820 ILCS 96/1-30)

 

 

HB5574- 3 -LRB102 25102 SPS 34362 b

1    Sec. 1-30. Settlement or termination agreements.
2    (a) An employer may not require a prospective, current, or
3former employee to sign a confidentiality provision of a
4settlement agreement or termination agreement relating to a
5claim of discrimination, retaliation, harassment, or sexual
6assault in the workplace brought by the employee or prevent
7the employee from disclosing a claim of discrimination,
8retaliation, harassment, or sexual assault occurring in the
9workplace or at a work-related event coordinated by or through
10the employer.
11    (a-5) This Section does not prohibit a settlement
12agreement or termination agreement relating to a claim
13alleging discrimination, retaliation, harassment, or sexual
14assault in the workplace between an employer and an employee
15or former employee from containing confidentiality provisions
16as provided in this subsection. A confidentiality provision is
17permissible when:
18        (1) it relates to the monetary amount of a settlement;
19    or
20        (2) at the employee's request, it prohibits disclosure
21    of facts that could lead to the identification of the
22    employee.
23    If the employee publicly reveals sufficient details of the
24claim so that the employer is reasonably identifiable, then
25the confidentiality provision shall also be unenforceable
26against the employer.

 

 

HB5574- 4 -LRB102 25102 SPS 34362 b

1    Every settlement agreement or termination agreement
2resolving a discrimination, retaliation, harassment, or sexual
3assault claim by an employee against an employer shall include
4a bold, prominently placed notice that although the parties
5may have agreed to keep the settlement and underlying facts
6confidential, such a provision in an agreement is
7unenforceable against the employer if the employee publicly
8reveals sufficient details of the claim so that the employer
9is reasonably identifiable.
10    (a-10) Except as prohibited under subsections (a) and
11(a-5), an An employee, prospective employee, or former
12employee and an employer may enter into a valid and
13enforceable settlement or termination agreement that includes
14promises of confidentiality related to alleged unlawful
15employment practices, so long as:
16        (1) confidentiality is the documented preference of
17    the employee, prospective employee, or former employee and
18    is mutually beneficial to both parties;
19        (2) the employer notifies the employee, prospective
20    employee, or former employee, in writing, of his or her
21    right to have an attorney or representative of his or her
22    choice review the settlement or termination agreement
23    before it is executed;
24        (3) there is valid, bargained for consideration in
25    exchange for the confidentiality;
26        (4) the settlement or termination agreement does not

 

 

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1    waive any claims of unlawful employment practices that
2    accrue after the date of execution of the settlement or
3    termination agreement;
4        (5) the settlement or termination agreement is
5    provided, in writing, to the parties to the prospective
6    agreement and the employee, prospective employee, or
7    former employee is given a period of 21 calendar days to
8    consider the agreement before execution, during which the
9    employee, prospective employee, or former employee may
10    sign the agreement at any time, knowingly and voluntarily
11    waiving any further time for consideration; and
12        (6) unless knowingly and voluntarily waived by the
13    employee, prospective employee, or former employee, he or
14    she has 7 calendar days following the execution of the
15    agreement to revoke the agreement and the agreement is not
16    effective or enforceable until the revocation period has
17    expired.
18    (b) An employer may not unilaterally include any clause in
19a settlement or termination agreement that prohibits the
20employee, prospective employee, or former employee from making
21truthful statements or disclosures regarding unlawful
22employment practices.
23    (c) Failure to comply with the provisions of this Section
24shall render any promise of confidentiality related to alleged
25unlawful employment practices against public policy void and
26severable from an otherwise valid and enforceable agreement.

 

 

HB5574- 6 -LRB102 25102 SPS 34362 b

1    (d) Nothing in this Section shall be construed to prevent
2a mutually agreed upon settlement or termination agreement
3from waiving or releasing the employee, prospective employee,
4or former employee's right to seek or obtain any remedies
5relating to an unlawful employment practice claim that
6occurred before the date on which the agreement is executed.
7    (e) The provisions of this amendatory Act of the 102nd
8General Assembly apply to agreements entered into on or after
9the effective date of this amendatory Act of the 102nd General
10Assembly.
11(Source: P.A. 101-221, eff. 1-1-20.)
 
12    Section 99. Effective date. This Act takes effect January
131, 2023.