Public Act 094-0146
 
HB2547 Enrolled LRB094 03541 WGH 33544 b

    AN ACT concerning human rights.
 
    Be it enacted by the People of the State of Illinois,
represented in the General Assembly:
 
    Section 5. The Illinois Human Rights Act is amended by
changing Section 7A-102 as follows:
 
    (775 ILCS 5/7A-102)  (from Ch. 68, par. 7A-102)
    Sec. 7A-102. Procedures.
    (A) Charge.
        (1) Within 180 days after the date that a civil rights
    violation allegedly has been committed, a charge in writing
    under oath or affirmation may be filed with the Department
    by an aggrieved party or issued by the Department itself
    under the signature of the Director.
        (2) The charge shall be in such detail as to
    substantially apprise any party properly concerned as to
    the time, place, and facts surrounding the alleged civil
    rights violation.
    (B) Notice, and Response, and Review of Charge. The
Department shall, within 10 days of the date on which the
charge was filed, serve a copy of the charge on the respondent.
This period shall not be construed to be jurisdictional. The
charging party and the respondent may each file a position
statement and other materials with the Department regarding the
charge of alleged discrimination within 60 days of receipt of
the notice of the charge. The position statements and other
materials filed shall remain confidential unless otherwise
agreed to by the party providing the information and shall not
be served on or made available to the other party during
pendency of a charge with the Department. The Department shall
require the respondent to file a verified response to the
allegations contained in the charge within 60 days of receipt
of the notice of the charge. The respondent shall serve a copy
of its response on the complainant or his representative. All
allegations contained in the charge not timely denied by the
respondent shall be deemed admitted, unless the respondent
states that it is without sufficient information to form a
belief with respect to such allegation. The Department shall
issue a notice of default directed to any respondent who fails
to file a verified response to a charge within 60 days of
receipt of the notice of the charge, unless the respondent can
demonstrate good cause as to why such notice should not issue.
Within 30 days of receipt of the respondent's response, the
complainant may file a reply to said response and shall serve a
copy of said reply on the respondent or his representative. A
party shall have the right to supplement his response or reply
at any time that the investigation of the charge is pending.
The Department shall, within 10 days of the date on which the
charge was filed, and again no later than 335 days thereafter,
send by certified or registered mail written notice to the
complainant and to the respondent informing the complainant of
the right to file a complaint with the Human Rights Commission
under subparagraph (2) of paragraph (G), including in such
notice the dates within which the complainant may exercise this
right. In the notice the Department shall notify the
complainant that the charge of civil rights violation will be
dismissed with prejudice and with no right to further proceed
if a written complaint is not timely filed with the Commission
by the complainant pursuant to subparagraph (2) of paragraph
(G) or by the Department pursuant to subparagraph (1) of
paragraph (G).
    (B-1) Mediation. The complainant and respondent may agree
to voluntarily submit the charge to mediation without waiving
any rights that are otherwise available to either party
pursuant to this Act and without incurring any obligation to
accept the result of the mediation process. Nothing occurring
in mediation shall be disclosed by the Department or admissible
in evidence in any subsequent proceeding unless the complainant
and the respondent agree in writing that such disclosure be
made.
    (C) Investigation.
        (1) After the respondent has been notified, the
    Department shall conduct a full investigation of the
    allegations set forth in the charge.
        (2) The Director or his or her designated
    representatives shall have authority to request any member
    of the Commission to issue subpoenas to compel the
    attendance of a witness or the production for examination
    of any books, records or documents whatsoever.
        (3) If any witness whose testimony is required for any
    investigation resides outside the State, or through
    illness or any other good cause as determined by the
    Director is unable to be interviewed by the investigator or
    appear at a fact finding conference, his or her testimony
    or deposition may be taken, within or without the State, in
    the same manner as is provided for in the taking of
    depositions in civil cases in circuit courts.
        (4) Upon reasonable notice to the complainant and the
    respondent, the Department shall conduct a fact finding
    conference prior to 365 days after the date on which the
    charge was filed, unless the Director has determined
    whether there is substantial evidence that the alleged
    civil rights violation has been committed or the charge has
    been dismissed for lack of jurisdiction. If the parties
    agree in writing, the fact finding conference may be held
    at a time after the 365 day limit. Any party's failure to
    attend the conference without good cause shall result in
    dismissal or default. The term "good cause" shall be
    defined by rule promulgated by the Department. A notice of
    dismissal or default shall be issued by the Director and
    shall notify the relevant party that a request for review
    may be filed in writing with the Chief Legal Counsel of the
    Department within 30 days of receipt of notice of dismissal
    or default.
    (D) Report.
        (1) Each charge shall be the subject of a report to the
    Director. The report shall be a confidential document
    subject to review by the Director, authorized Department
    employees, the parties, and, where indicated by this Act,
    members of the Commission or their designated hearing
    officers.
        (2) Upon review of the report, the Director shall
    determine whether there is substantial evidence that the
    alleged civil rights violation has been committed. The
    determination of substantial evidence is limited to
    determining the need for further consideration of the
    charge pursuant to this Act and includes, but is not
    limited to, findings of fact and conclusions, as well as
    the reasons for the determinations on all material issues
    and questions of credibility. Substantial evidence is
    evidence which a reasonable mind accepts as sufficient to
    support a particular conclusion and which consists of more
    than a mere scintilla but may be somewhat less than a
    preponderance.
            (a) If the Director determines that there is no
        substantial evidence, the charge shall be dismissed by
        order of the Director and the complainant notified that
        he or she may seek review of the dismissal order before
        the Chief Legal Counsel of the Department. The
        complainant shall have 30 days from receipt of notice
        to file a request for review by the Chief Legal Counsel
        of the Department.
            (b) If the Director determines that there is
        substantial evidence, he or she shall designate a
        Department employee who is an attorney licensed to
        practice in Illinois to endeavor to eliminate the
        effect of the alleged civil rights violation and to
        prevent its repetition by means of conference and
        conciliation.
    (E) Conciliation.
        (1) When the Department determines that a formal
    conciliation conference is necessary, the complainant and
    respondent shall be notified of the time and place of the
    conference by registered or certified mail at least 10 days
    prior thereto and either or both parties shall appear at
    the conference in person or by attorney.
        (2) The place fixed for the conference shall be within
    35 miles of the place where the civil rights violation is
    alleged to have been committed.
        (3) Nothing occurring at the conference shall be
    disclosed by the Department unless the complainant and
    respondent agree in writing that such disclosure be made.
    (F) Complaint.
        (1) When there is a failure to settle or adjust any
    charge through conciliation, the Department shall prepare
    a written complaint, under oath or affirmation, stating the
    nature of the civil rights violation substantially as
    alleged in the charge previously filed and the relief
    sought on behalf of the aggrieved party.
        (2) The complaint shall be filed with the Commission.
    (G) Time Limit.
        (1) When a charge of a civil rights violation has been
    properly filed, the Department, within 365 days thereof or
    within any extension of that period agreed to in writing by
    all parties, shall either issue and file a complaint in the
    manner and form set forth in this Section or shall order
    that no complaint be issued and dismiss the charge with
    prejudice without any further right to proceed except in
    cases in which the order was procured by fraud or duress.
    Any such order shall be duly served upon both the
    complainant and the respondent.
        (2) Between 365 and 395 days after the charge is filed,
    or such longer period agreed to in writing by all parties,
    the aggrieved party may file a complaint with the
    Commission, if the Director has not sooner issued a report
    and determination pursuant to paragraphs (D)(1) and (D)(2)
    of this Section. The form of the complaint shall be in
    accordance with the provisions of paragraph (F). The
    aggrieved party shall notify the Department that a
    complaint has been filed and shall serve a copy of the
    complaint on the Department on the same date that the
    complaint is filed with the Commission.
        (3) If an aggrieved party files a complaint with the
    Human Rights Commission pursuant to paragraph (2) of this
    subsection, or if the time period for filing a complaint
    has expired, the Department shall immediately cease its
    investigation and dismiss the charge of civil rights
    violation. Any final order entered by the Chief Legal
    Counsel under this Section is appealable in accordance with
    paragraph (A)(1) of Section 8-111. Failure to immediately
    cease an investigation and dismiss the charge of civil
    rights violation as provided in this paragraph (3)
    constitutes grounds for entry of an order by the circuit
    court permanently enjoining the investigation. The
    Department may also be liable for any costs and other
    damages incurred by the respondent as a result of the
    action of the Department.
        (4) The Department shall stay any administrative
    proceedings under this Section after the filing of a civil
    action by or on behalf of the aggrieved party under any
    federal or State law seeking relief with respect to the
    alleged civil rights violation.
    (H) This amendatory Act of 1995 applies to causes of action
filed on or after January 1, 1996.
    (I) This amendatory Act of 1996 applies to causes of action
filed on or after January 1, 1996.
(Source: P.A. 89-370, eff. 8-18-95; 89-520, eff. 7-18-96.)
 
    Section 99. Effective date. This Act takes effect upon
becoming law.