20 ILCS 735/10-25

(20 ILCS 735/10-25)

(Section scheduled to be repealed on September 15, 2045)

Sec. 10-25. Displaced Energy Workers Bill of Rights.

(a) The Department, in collaboration with the Department of Employment Security, shall have the authority to implement the Displaced Energy Workers Bill of Rights, and shall be responsible for the implementation of the Displaced Energy Workers Bill of Rights programs and rights created under this Section. For purposes of this Section, "closure" means the permanent shutdown of an electric generating unit or coal mine. The Department shall provide the following benefits to displaced energy workers listed in paragraphs (1) through (4) of this subsection:

(1) Advance notice of power plant or coal mine closure.

(A) The Department shall notify all energy workers of the upcoming closure of any qualifying facility as far in advance of the scheduled closing date as it can. The Department shall engage the employer and energy workers no later than within 30 days of a closure or deactivation notice being filed by the plant owner to the Regional Transmission Organization of jurisdiction, within 30 days of the announced closure of a coal mine, within 30 days of a WARN notice being filed with the Department, or within 30 days of an announcement or requirement of cessation of operations of a plant or mine from another authoritative source, whichever is first.

(B) In providing the advance notice described in this paragraph (1), the Department shall take reasonable steps to ensure that all displaced energy workers are educated on the various programs available through the Department to assist with the energy transition.

(2) Education on programs. The Department shall take reasonable steps to ensure that all displaced energy workers are educated on the various programs available through the Department to assist with the energy transition, including, but not limited to, the Illinois Dislocated Worker and Rapid Response programs. The Department will develop an outreach strategy, workforce toolkit and quick action plan to deploy when closures are announced. This strategy will include identifying any additional resources that may be needed to aid worker transitions that would require contracting services.

(3) The Department shall provide information and consultation to displaced energy workers on various employment and educational opportunities available to them, supportive services, and advise workers on which opportunities meet their skills, needs, and preferences.

(A) Available services will include reemployment services, training services, work-based learning services, and financial and retirement planning support.

(B) The Department will provide skills matching as part of career counseling services to enable assessment of the displaced energy worker's skills and map those skills to emerging occupations in the region or nationally, or both, depending on the displaced worker's preferences.

(C) For energy workers who may be interested in entrepreneurial pursuits, the Department will connect these individuals with their area Small Business Development Center, procurement technical assistance centers, and economic development organization to engage in services, including, but not limited to, business consulting, business planning, regulatory compliance, marketing, training, accessing capital, and government bid certification assistance.

(4) Financial planning services. Displaced energy workers shall be entitled to services as described in the energy worker programs in this subsection, including financial planning services.

(b) Plant owners and the owners of coal mines located in Illinois shall be required to comply with the requirements set out in this subsection (b). The owners shall be required to take the following actions:

(1) Provide written notice of deactivation or closure filing with the Regional Transmission Organization of jurisdiction to the Department within 48 hours, if applicable.

(2) Provide employment information for energy workers; 90 days prior to the closure of an electric generating unit or mine, the owners of the power plant or mine shall provide energy workers information on whether there are employment opportunities provided by their employer.

(3) Annually report to the Department on announced closures of qualifying facilities. The report must include information on expected closure date, number of employees, planning processes, services offered for employees (such as training opportunities) leading up to the closure, efforts made to retain employees through other employment opportunities within the company, and any other information that the Department requires in order to implement this Section.

(4) Ninety days prior to closure date, provide a final closure report to the Department that includes expected closure date, number of employees and salaries, transition support the company is providing to employee and timelines, including assistance for training opportunities, transportation support or child care resources to attend training, career counseling, resume support, and others. The closure report will be made available to the chief elected official of each municipal and county government within which the employment loss, relocation, or mass layoff occurs. It shall not be made publicly available.

(5) Ninety days prior to closure date, provide job descriptions for each employee at the plant or mine to the Department and the entity providing career and training counseling.

(6) Ninety days prior to closure date, make available to the Department and the entity providing career and training counseling any industry-related certifications and on-the-job training the employee earned to allow union training programs, community colleges, or other certification programs to award credit for life experiences in order to reduce the amount of time to complete training, certificates, or degrees for the dislocated employee.

(Source: P.A. 102-662, eff. 9-15-21.)