Public Act 099-0418
 
HB3619 EnrolledLRB099 10407 JLS 30634 b

    AN ACT concerning employment.
 
    Be it enacted by the People of the State of Illinois,
represented in the General Assembly:
 
    Section 5. The Equal Pay Act of 2003 is amended by changing
Sections 5 and 30 as follows:
 
    (820 ILCS 112/5)
    Sec. 5. Definitions. As used in this Act:
    "Director" means the Director of Labor.
    "Department" means the Department of Labor.
    "Employee" means any individual permitted to work by an
employer.
    "Employer" means an individual, partnership, corporation,
association, business, trust, person, or entity for whom 4 or
more employees are gainfully employed in Illinois and includes
the State of Illinois, any state officer, department, or
agency, any unit of local government, and any school district.
(Source: P.A. 93-6, eff. 1-1-04.)
 
    (820 ILCS 112/30)
    Sec. 30. Violations; fines and penalties.
    (a) If an employee is paid by his or her employer less than
the wage to which he or she is entitled in violation of Section
10 of this Act, the employee may recover in a civil action the
entire amount of any underpayment together with interest and
the costs and reasonable attorney's fees as may be allowed by
the court and as necessary to make the employee whole. At the
request of the employee or on a motion of the Director, the
Department may make an assignment of the wage claim in trust
for the assigning employee and may bring any legal action
necessary to collect the claim, and the employer shall be
required to pay the costs incurred in collecting the claim.
Every such action shall be brought within 5 years from the date
of the underpayment. For purposes of this Act, "date of the
underpayment" means each time wages are underpaid.
    (b) The Director is authorized to supervise the payment of
the unpaid wages owing to any employee or employees under this
Act and may bring any legal action necessary to recover the
amount of unpaid wages and penalties and the employer shall be
required to pay the costs. Any sums recovered by the Director
on behalf of an employee under this Section shall be paid to
the employee or employees affected.
    (c) Employers Any employer who violate violates any
provision of this Act or any rule adopted under the Act are is
subject to a civil penalty for each employee affected as
follows:
        (1) An employer with fewer than 4 employees: first
    offense, a fine not to exceed $500; second offense, a fine
    not to exceed $2,500; third or subsequent offense, a fine
    not to exceed $5,000.
        (2) An employer with 4 or more employees: first
    offense, a fine not to exceed $2,500; second offense, a
    fine not to exceed $3,000; third or subsequent offense, a
    fine not to exceed $5,000.
    An not to exceed $2,500 for each violation for each
employee affected, except that any employer or person who
violates subsection (b) or (c) of Section 10 is subject to a
civil penalty not to exceed $5,000 for each violation for each
employee affected.
    (d) In determining the amount of the penalty, the
appropriateness of the penalty to the size of the business of
the employer charged and the gravity of the violation shall be
considered. The penalty may be recovered in a civil action
brought by the Director in any circuit court.
(Source: P.A. 96-467, eff. 8-14-09; 97-512, eff. 1-1-12.)