Illinois General Assembly - Full Text of Public Act 098-0091
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Public Act 098-0091


 

Public Act 0091 98TH GENERAL ASSEMBLY

  
  
  

 


 
Public Act 098-0091
 
HB2591 EnrolledLRB098 07302 JLS 37365 b

    AN ACT concerning employment.
 
    Be it enacted by the People of the State of Illinois,
represented in the General Assembly:
 
    Section 1. Short title. This Act may be cited as the
Illinois Employment First Act.
 
    Section 5. Policy. It is the policy of this State that
competitive and integrated employment shall be considered the
first option when serving persons with disabilities of working
age. This policy applies to programs and services that provide
services and supports to help persons with disabilities obtain
employment. All State agencies shall follow this policy and
ensure that it is effectively implemented in their programs and
services. Nothing in this Section shall be construed to require
any employer to give preference to hiring persons with
disabilities.
 
    Section 10. Definitions. As used in this Act:
    "Competitive employment" means work in the competitive
labor market that is performed on a full-time or part-time
basis in an integrated setting and for which an individual is
compensated at or above the minimum wage, but not less than the
customary wage and level of benefits paid by the employer for
the same or similar work performed by individuals who are not
disabled.
    "Disability" has the meaning ascribed to that term in
Section 10 of the Disabilities Services Act of 2003.
    "Integrated setting" means with respect to an employment
outcome, a setting typically found in the community in which
applicants or eligible individuals interact with non-disabled
individuals, other than non-disabled individuals who are
providing services to those applicants or eligible
individuals, to the same extent that non-disabled individuals
in comparable positions interact with other persons.
    "State agency" means and includes all boards, commissions,
agencies, institutions, authorities, and bodies politic and
corporate of the State, created by or in accordance with the
Illinois Constitution or State statute, of the executive branch
of State government and does include colleges, universities,
public employee retirement systems, and institutions under the
jurisdiction of the governing boards of the University of
Illinois, Southern Illinois University, Illinois State
University, Eastern Illinois University, Northern Illinois
University, Western Illinois University, Chicago State
University, Governors State University, Northeastern Illinois
University, and the Illinois Board of Higher Education.
 
    Section 15. Agency coordination. All State agencies shall
coordinate efforts and shall collaborate within and among such
agencies to ensure that State programs, policies, procedures,
and funding support competitive and integrated employment of
persons with disabilities. All State agencies shall, whenever
feasible, share data and information across systems in order to
track progress toward full implementation of this Act. State
agencies are authorized to adopt rules to implement this Act.
 
    Section 20. Establishment of measurable goals and
objectives. The Employment and Economic Opportunity for
Persons with Disabilities Task Force established under the
Employment and Economic Opportunity for Persons with
Disabilities Task Force Act shall establish measurable goals
and objectives for the State to ensure implementation of this
Act and monitor the measured progress toward implementation of
this Act. All State agencies shall fully cooperate with the
Task Force and provide data and information to assist the Task
Force in carrying out its responsibilities. The Task Force
shall include in its annual report a progress report on the
implementation of this Act and any recommendations with respect
to the implementation of this Act.
 
    Section 99. Effective date. This Act takes effect upon
becoming law.

Effective Date: 07/16/2013