HB4829 Engrossed LRB094 16490 WGH 51750 b

1     AN ACT concerning human rights.
 
2     Be it enacted by the People of the State of Illinois,
3 represented in the General Assembly:
 
4     Section 5. The Illinois Human Rights Act is amended by
5 changing Section 7B-102 as follows:
 
6     (775 ILCS 5/7B-102)  (from Ch. 68, par. 7B-102)
7     Sec. 7B-102. Procedures.
8     (A) Charge.
9         (1) Within one year after the date that a civil rights
10     violation allegedly has been committed or terminated, a
11     charge in writing under oath or affirmation may be filed
12     with the Department by an aggrieved party or issued by the
13     Department itself under the signature of the Director.
14         (2) The charge shall be in such detail as to
15     substantially apprise any party properly concerned as to
16     the time, place, and facts surrounding the alleged civil
17     rights violation.
18     (B) Notice and Response to Charge.
19         (1) The Department shall serve notice upon the
20     aggrieved party acknowledging such charge and advising the
21     aggrieved party of the time limits and choice of forums
22     provided under this Act. The Department shall, within 10
23     days of the date on which the charge was filed or the
24     identification of an additional respondent under paragraph
25     (2) of this subsection, serve on the respondent a copy of
26     the charge along with a notice identifying the alleged
27     civil rights violation and advising the respondent of the
28     procedural rights and obligations of respondents under
29     this Act and shall require the respondent to file a
30     verified response to the allegations contained in the
31     charge within 30 days. The respondent shall serve a copy of
32     its response on the complainant or his representative. All

 

 

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1     allegations contained in the charge not timely denied by
2     the respondent shall be deemed admitted, unless the
3     respondent states that it is without sufficient
4     information to form a belief with respect to such
5     allegation. The Department may issue a notice of default
6     directed to any respondent who fails to file a verified
7     response to a charge within 30 days of the date on which
8     the charge was filed, unless the respondent can demonstrate
9     good cause as to why such notice should not issue. The term
10     "good cause" shall be defined by rule promulgated by the
11     Department. Within 10 days of the date he receives the
12     respondent's response, the complainant may file his reply
13     to said response. If he chooses to file a reply, the
14     complainant shall serve a copy of said reply on the
15     respondent or his representative. A party shall have the
16     right to supplement his response or reply at any time that
17     the investigation of the charge is pending.
18         (2) A person who is not named as a respondent in a
19     charge, but who is identified as a respondent in the course
20     of investigation, may be joined as an additional or
21     substitute respondent upon written notice, under
22     subsection (B), to such person, from the Department. Such
23     notice, in addition to meeting the requirements of
24     subsections (A) and (B), shall explain the basis for the
25     Department's belief that a person to whom the notice is
26     addressed is properly joined as a respondent.
27     (C) Investigation.
28         (1) The Department shall conduct a full investigation
29     of the allegations set forth in the charge and complete
30     such investigation within 100 days after the filing of the
31     charge, unless it is impracticable to do so. The
32     Department's failure to complete the investigation within
33     100 days after the proper filing of the charge does not
34     deprive the Department of jurisdiction over the charge.
35         (2) If the Department is unable to complete the
36     investigation within 100 days after the charge is filed,

 

 

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1     the Department shall notify the complainant and respondent
2     in writing of the reasons for not doing so.
3         (3) The Director or his or her designated
4     representative shall have authority to request any member
5     of the Commission to issue subpoenas to compel the
6     attendance of a witness or the production for examination
7     of any books, records or documents whatsoever.
8         (4) If any witness whose testimony is required for any
9     investigation resides outside the State, or through
10     illness or any other good cause as determined by the
11     Director is unable to be interviewed by the investigator or
12     appear at a fact finding conference, his or her testimony
13     or deposition may be taken, within or without the State, in
14     the same manner as provided for in the taking of
15     depositions in civil cases in circuit courts.
16         (5) Upon reasonable notice to the complainant and the
17     respondent, the Department shall conduct a fact finding
18     conference, unless prior to 100 days from the date on which
19     the charge was filed, the Director has determined whether
20     there is substantial evidence that the alleged civil rights
21     violation has been committed. A party's failure to attend
22     the conference without good cause may result in dismissal
23     or default. A notice of dismissal or default shall be
24     issued by the Director and shall notify the relevant party
25     that a request for review may be filed in writing with the
26     Chief Legal Counsel of the Department within 30 days of
27     receipt of notice of dismissal or default.
28     (D) Report.
29         (1) Each investigated charge shall be the subject of a
30     report to the Director. The report shall be a confidential
31     document subject to review by the Director, authorized
32     Department employees, the parties, and, where indicated by
33     this Act, members of the Commission or their designated
34     hearing officers.
35             The report shall contain:
36             (a) the names and dates of contacts with witnesses;

 

 

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1             (b) a summary and the date of correspondence and
2         other contacts with the aggrieved party and the
3         respondent;
4             (c) a summary description of other pertinent
5         records;
6             (d) a summary of witness statements; and
7             (e) answers to questionnaires.
8         A final report under this paragraph may be amended if
9     additional evidence is later discovered.
10         (2) Upon review of the report and within 100 days of
11     the filing of the charge, unless it is impracticable to do
12     so, the Director shall determine whether there is
13     substantial evidence that the alleged civil rights
14     violation has been committed or is about to be committed.
15     If the Director is unable to make the determination within
16     100 days after the filing of the charge, the Director shall
17     notify the complainant and respondent in writing of the
18     reasons for not doing so. The Director's failure to make
19     the determination within 100 days after the proper filing
20     of the charge does not deprive the Department of
21     jurisdiction over the charge.
22             (a) If the Director determines that there is no
23         substantial evidence, the charge shall be dismissed
24         and the aggrieved party notified that he or she may
25         seek review of the dismissal order before the
26         Commission. The aggrieved party shall have 30 days from
27         receipt of notice to file a request for review by the
28         Chief Legal Counsel of the Department. The Director
29         shall make public disclosure of each such dismissal.
30             (b) If the Director determines that there is
31         substantial evidence, he or she shall immediately
32         issue a complaint on behalf of the aggrieved party
33         pursuant to subsection (F).
34     (E) Conciliation.
35         (1) During the period beginning with the filing of
36     charge and ending with the filing of a complaint or a

 

 

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1     dismissal by the Department, the Department shall, to the
2     extent feasible, engage in conciliation with respect to
3     such charge.
4         When the Department determines that a formal
5     conciliation conference is feasible, the aggrieved party
6     and respondent shall be notified of the time and place of
7     the conference by registered or certified mail at least 7
8     days prior thereto and either or both parties shall appear
9     at the conference in person or by attorney.
10         (2) The place fixed for the conference shall be within
11     35 miles of the place where the civil rights violation is
12     alleged to have been committed.
13         (3) Nothing occurring at the conference shall be made
14     public or used as evidence in a subsequent proceeding for
15     the purpose of proving a violation under this Act unless
16     the complainant and respondent agree in writing that such
17     disclosure be made.
18         (4) A conciliation agreement arising out of such
19     conciliation shall be an agreement between the respondent
20     and the complainant, and shall be subject to approval by
21     the Department and Commission.
22         (5) A conciliation agreement may provide for binding
23     arbitration of the dispute arising from the charge. Any
24     such arbitration that results from a conciliation
25     agreement may award appropriate relief, including monetary
26     relief.
27         (6) Each conciliation agreement shall be made public
28     unless the complainant and respondent otherwise agree and
29     the Department determines that disclosure is not required
30     to further the purpose of this Act.
31     (F) Complaint.
32         (1) When there is a failure to settle or adjust any
33     charge through a conciliation conference and the charge is
34     not dismissed, the Department shall prepare a written
35     complaint, under oath or affirmation, stating the nature of
36     the civil rights violation and the relief sought on behalf

 

 

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1     of the aggrieved party. Such complaint shall be based on
2     the final investigation report and need not be limited to
3     the facts or grounds alleged in the charge filed under
4     subsection (A).
5         (2) The complaint shall be filed with the Commission.
6         (3) The Department may not issue a complaint under this
7     Section regarding an alleged civil rights violation after
8     the beginning of the trial of a civil action commenced by
9     the aggrieved party under any State or federal law, seeking
10     relief with respect to that alleged civil rights violation.
11     (G) Time Limit.
12         (1) When a charge of a civil rights violation has been
13     properly filed, the Department, within 100 days thereof,
14     unless it is impracticable to do so, shall either issue and
15     file a complaint in the manner and form set forth in this
16     Section or shall order that no complaint be issued. Any
17     such order shall be duly served upon both the aggrieved
18     party and the respondent. The Department's failure to
19     either issue and file a complaint or order that no
20     complaint be issued within 100 days after the proper filing
21     of the charge does not deprive the Department of
22     jurisdiction over the charge.
23         (2) The Director shall make available to the aggrieved
24     party and the respondent, at any time, upon request
25     following completion of the Department's investigation,
26     information derived from an investigation and any final
27     investigative report relating to that investigation.
28     (H) This amendatory Act of 1995 applies to causes of action
29 filed on or after January 1, 1996.
30 (Source: P.A. 94-326, eff. 7-26-05.)
 
31     Section 99. Effective date. This Act takes effect upon
32 becoming law.