Labor & Employment

Amends the Prevailing Wage Act. Provides that, for purposes of the Act, the term "public works" also includes all private projects that are located in a tax increment financing district and paid for wholly or in part out of public funds, unless the total cost of the project is less than $25,000 or the project is performed in a designated historic district requiring specialty contractors because of that designation.

Provides that the Act may be referred to as the Zachary's Parent Protection Act. Amends the Family Bereavement Leave Act. Changes the name of the Act to the Bereavement Leave Act. Sets forth provisions concerning family bereavement leave, child extended bereavement leave, and general bereavement leave. Provides for the qualifying requirements, notice requirements, and length of leave provided under those circumstances. Provides that the bereavement leave provided under the Act is in addition to the unpaid leave time allowed under the federal Family and Medical Leave Act of 1993. Provides that the Department of Labor shall review complaints to determine whether there is cause for investigation. Makes changes to definitions. Repeals the Child Extended Bereavement Leave Act. Amends the Victims' Economic Security and Safety Act and the Child Labor Law of 2024 to make conforming changes.

Amends the Higher Education Student Assistance Act. Changes the name of the School and Municipal Social Work Shortage Loan Repayment Program to the Social Worker and School Counselor Shortage Loan Repayment Program. Allows a school counselor to apply for the Program. Provides that the Illinois Student Assistance Commission shall award a grant of up to $8,000 (rather than $6,500) per year for a maximum of 4 years to each qualified applicant. Provides that a grant shall be used for repayment of the recipient's educational loan instead of the Commission encouraging the recipient to use the grant to repay the recipient's educational loan. Makes other and conforming changes. Effective July 1, 2026.

Amends the Unemployment Insurance Act. Provides that, if an employer employing 75 or more employees in the State conducts a layoff, furlough, or temporary shutdown resulting in the separation of one or more employees, the employer shall submit required claim-initiation information to the Department of Employment Security on behalf of each affected employee. Provides that the Department shall provide written or electronic confirmation to the affected employee that the claim-initiation information has been submitted on their behalf by the employer. Sets forth additional requirements. Provides for civil penalties for a violation of the provision.

Amends the Equal Pay Act of 2003. Provides that, no later than 2 years after the effective date of the amendatory Act, the Department of Labor shall adopt rules that require specified employers doing business in the State to file an annual report, that will be made available to the public on a dedicated page of the Department's website, regarding workforce management policies, practices, and performance with respect to the employer. Describes the information required to be reported. Sets forth provisions concerning the standardization of data and exemptions to the provision.

Amends the Health Care Violence Prevention Act. Makes changes to defined terms. In provisions concerning workplace safety, provides that a health care worker may not be discouraged from contacting law enforcement or the Department of Public Health regarding workplace violence, and a health care provider may not maintain a policy that limits such contact. Adds additional requirements to the workplace violence prevention program, including reporting requirements and identifying the need for additional security and alarms, adequate exit routes, monitoring systems, barrier protections, lighting, entry procedures, and systems to identify and flag persons who have previously committed violent acts in the health care provider space. Sets forth provisions concerning violent incident investigations, and recordkeeping and reporting requirements for health care providers regarding violent incidents. Establishes penalties for failure to comply with the Act. Amends the Freedom of Information Act. Exempts from public disclosure workplace violence records maintained by health care providers as required under a specified provision of the Health Care Violence Prevention Act.

Amends the Illinois Works Job Program Act. Establishes the Illinois Municipal Works Preapprenticeship and Service Trainee Program to be administered by the Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity. Provides that the goal of the Program is to create a network of community-based organizations within the region served by Morton College that will recruit, prescreen, and provide preapprenticeship and service trainee skills training to create a qualified, diverse pipeline of workers who are prepared for careers in the construction and building trades and in the union service trades that have collective bargaining agreements with municipalities, the health care sector, and other service sectors. Creates the Illinois Municipal Works Preapprenticeship and Service Trainee Fund. Provides that the Fund shall be administered by the Department. Provides that the Fund shall be used to provide funding directly to Morton College and, through Morton College, to trade unions, municipal employers, health care employers, and other service sector employers who are associated with the Program. Provides that every July 1, $250,000 shall be transferred from the Rebuild Illinois Projects Fund to the Illinois Municipal Works Preapprenticeship and Service Trainee Fund. Sets forth an annual report for Morton College. Provides for bid credits for employing apprentices who have completed the Program. Amends the Public Community College Act. Provides that the Illinois Community College Board shall monitor the Program. Provides that, by no later than July 1, 2031, the State Board shall recommend legislation to the General Assembly that will, based upon the experience of Morton College, establish and fund an Illinois Pipeline for the Advancement of the Union Service Workforce Program. Effective immediately.

Amends the Workers' Compensation Act. Provides that an employee who is employed as a first responder and who suffers a serious bodily injury in the course of that employment shall be presumed to be entitled to permanent total disability benefits. Provides that the Workers' Compensation Commission shall accelerate any dispute regarding an employee's continuing entitlement to benefits under the provision.

Amends the Illinois Wage Payment and Collection Act. Provides that it is unlawful to include in any employment contract, or to require an employee to execute as a condition of employment or a work relationship, a contract that: (1) requires the employee to pay an employer, training provider, or debt collector for a debt if the employee's employment or work relationship with a specific employer is terminated; (2) authorizes the employer, training provider, or debt collector to resume or initiate collection of or to end forbearance on a debt if the employee's employment or work relationship with a specific employer is terminated; (3) imposes any penalty, fee, or cost on an employee if the employee's employment or work relationship with a specific employer is terminated. Provides that the provision applies to contracts entered into on or after the effective date of the amendatory Act. Provides that a contract entered into in violation of the provision is void and unenforceable. Sets forth exceptions. Effective immediately.

Amends the Unemployment Insurance Act. Provides that, with respect to a week of unemployment beginning on or after June 1, 2026, benefits shall be payable to an individual on the basis of wages for employment in other than an instructional, research, or principal administrative capacity performed for an educational institution or an educational service agency, as long as the individual is otherwise eligible for benefits. Effective immediately.