Chicago – Attorney General Kwame Raoul commended the Illinois General Assembly for passing legislation aimed at protecting workers from retaliatory actions by employers. The new bill, House Bill (HB) 5561, seeks to strengthen existing protections under state law and formalize the authority of Raoul’s Workplace Rights Bureau to investigate and hold accountable employers who engage in or threaten retaliation.
“Workers who want to assert their basic workplace rights risk losing their livelihood and ability to provide for themselves and their families. For some immigrant workers, asserting their rights means risking their ability to remain in the United States,” Raoul stated. “We must enact policies that encourage workers to step up and report dangerous or unlawful practices. I thank the sponsors and the members of the General Assembly for passing these needed reforms.”
The legislation aims to address gaps in labor enforcement that leave workers vulnerable when they seek to enforce their rights or report unlawful employer practices. Specifically, HB 5561 would:
- Broaden the scope of conduct protected under the Illinois Whistleblower Act to include employees who report violations of law or threats to public health and safety directly to their employer.
- Expand the definition of retaliation to encompass blacklisting an employee from future opportunities and immigration-based retaliation.
- Provide explicit statutory authority for the Attorney General’s office to sue employers who retaliate or threaten retaliation against employees.
State Sen. Cristina Castro sponsored HB 5561, which passed with bipartisan support in the Illinois Senate on Thursday night. The bill now awaits approval from Governor J.B. Pritzker.
“Workers across our state deserve safety and protection on the job,” said Castro. “When an employee raises the alarm about something like a workplace hazard, we need to make sure laws are in place to safeguard them from retaliation. No one should be punished for speaking up to make working conditions safer for everyone.”
Attorney General Raoul’s Workplace Rights Bureau is dedicated to protecting and advancing employment rights for all Illinois residents, particularly vulnerable populations and immigrants. The bureau investigates serious wage law violations and other significant employment practices while also monitoring and proposing relevant legislation.
Raoul encourages workers wishing to file complaints about employer practices to contact the Workplace Rights Hotline at 1-844-740-5076 or visit the Attorney General’s website.