Labor & Employment

Amends the Illinois Civil Rights Act of 2003. Prohibits an otherwise qualified individual with a disability, as defined by the Environmental Barriers Act, from being excluded from participation in, be denied the benefits of, or be subjected to discrimination solely by reason of the individual's disability under any of the following: (i) any program or activity operating inside Illinois and receiving federal financial assistance; (ii) any program or activity receiving federal financial assistance that passes through or is administered by State, county, or local government; (iii) any activity regulated by the State that receives federal financial assistance; or (iv) any program or activity receiving State, county, or local government financial assistance. Provides that a State agency that has an existing mechanism for enforcing federal Section 504 rights under the federal Rehabilitation Act may also enforce provisions of the Act. Authorizes the Attorney General to commence a civil action to enforce the provisions of this Act in any appropriate circuit court if the Attorney General has reasonable cause to believe that any person or group of persons is engaged in a pattern of discrimination prohibited by this Act. Provides that disability discrimination under the Act includes violations of the substantive rights provided in the federal regulations adopted under the federal Rehabilitation Act. Provides that these rights constitute a minimum set of rights that may not be reduced. Requires the Secretary of State to maintain a copy of the regulations in a manner that is easily available to the public such as on a website in a searchable format. Makes the Act severable.

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 Chicago Police Article of the Illinois Pension Code. Provides that a policeman who applies for disability benefits under the Article and has been denied reinstatement as a policeman by his or her employer because of a physical or mental incapacity shall be presumed to be disabled as that term is used in the Article. Provides that no policeman who otherwise meets the requirements for a disability benefit shall be denied a disability benefit unless and until the policeman's employer reinstates him or her as a policeman or offers him or her a limited-duty position. Provides that any policeman who has been denied a disability benefit without an offer of reinstatement or a limited-duty position after the effective date of the amendatory Act is entitled to disability benefits. Amends the State Mandates Act to require implementation without reimbursement. Effective immediately.

Amends the Downstate Police and Illinois Municipal Retirement Fund (IMRF) Articles of the Illinois Pension Code. Removes language providing that a person may not elect to participate in IMRF with respect to his or her employment as a chief of police of a participating municipality, unless that person became a participating employee in IMRF before January 1, 2019. Makes conforming changes. In the Downstate Police Article, provides that, on and after the effective date of the amendatory Act, a municipality is not required to establish a defined contribution plan. Provides that a municipality is required to maintain a defined contribution plan for persons who began participating in the defined contribution plan before the effective date of the amendatory Act. In provisions authorizing certain police officers to elect to participate in the defined contribution plan, restricts participation to police officers who first became police officers before the effective date of the amendatory Act and to municipalities that established a defined contribution plan before the effective date of the amendatory Act. Amends the State Mandates Act to require implementation without reimbursement.

Amends the Toll Highway Act. Provides that the Illinois State Toll Highway Authority has the power to establish a special pay supplement for those positions of employment that require that a person employed in that position speak or write a language other than English. Provides that such paid positions may be eligible for a bilingual pay supplement to attract bilingual individuals, to encourage present employees to become proficient in languages other than English, or to retain qualified bilingual employees. Provides that a bilingual pay supplement shall be processed within 30 calendar days after the employee presents to the Authority a certification from either the designated testing program process selected by the Authority or a State community college confirming that language skill proficiency in reading, writing, and speaking has been satisfied by the employee.

Amends the Illinois Insurance Code. Establishes reimbursement rates for mental health and substance use disorder treatment services for all group or individual policies of accident and health insurance or managed care plans that are amended, delivered, issued, or renewed on or after January 1, 2027 or for any contracted third party administering the behavioral health benefits for the insurer. Requires a group or individual policy of accident and health insurance or managed care plan that is amended, delivered, issued, or renewed on or after January 1, 2026 or any contracted third party administering the behavioral health benefits for the insurer to cover certain medically necessary mental health and substance use disorder treatment services. Provides that, if the Department of Insurance determines that an insurer or a contracted third party administering the behavioral health benefits for the insurer has violated a provision concerning mental health and substance use parity, the Department shall by order assess a civil penalty of $1,000 for each violation. Excludes certain health care plans serving Medicaid populations who are enrolled under the Illinois Public Aid Code or under the Children's Health Insurance Program Act from provisions concerning mental health and substance use parity. Requires the Department to review the impact of the proposed mental health and substance abuse mandate on network adequacy for mental health and substance use disorder treatment and access to affordable mental health and substance use care. Permits the Department to examine out-of-network utilization and out-of-pocket costs for insureds for mental health and substance use treatment and services for all plans to compare with in-network utilization. Amends the State Employees Group Insurance Act of 1971, the Counties Code, the Illinois Municipal Code, and the School Code to require coverage under those provisions. Effective immediately.

Amends the Right to Privacy in the Workplace Act. Provides that an employer enrolled in an Employment Eligibility Verification System, including the E-Verify program, shall not impose work authorization verification or re-verification requirements greater than those required by the Employment Eligibility Verification System. Provides that, if an employer receives notification from any federal agency or other outside third party not responsible for the enforcement of immigration law of a discrepancy as it relates to an employee's individual taxpayer identification number or other identifying documents, guarantees specified rights and protections to the employee. Makes changes in provisions concerning the administration and enforcement of the Act by the Department of Labor. Sets forth provisions concerning action for civil penalties brought by an interested party; private right of action; penalties; and review under the Administrative Review Law.

Amends the School Code. Allows a teacher to grieve the issuance of a warning regarding causes that are considered remediable pursuant to the applicable collective bargaining agreement to determine whether the school district had just cause in issuing the warning. Requires notice of remedial warnings to be narrowly specify the nature of the alleged misconduct that needs to be remedied. Provides that general allegations of unprofessional conduct are insufficient to link together otherwise unrelated offenses as related. Provides that under no circumstances shall a notice of remedial warning remain effective or within a teacher's personnel file or record for longer than 3 years from the date of the occurrence which gave rise to the issuance of the notice of remedial warning. Effective immediately.

Amends the Workplace Transparency Act. Provides that no contract, agreement, clause, covenant, waiver, or other document shall prohibit, prevent, or otherwise restrict an employee, prospective employee, or former employee from engaging in concerted activities to address work-related issues. Provides that any agreement, clause, covenant, or waiver that is a mutual condition of employment or continued employment may include provisions that would otherwise be against public policy if it acknowledges the right of the employee or prospective employee to engage in concerted activities to address work-related issues. Provides that an employee, prospective employee, or former employee and an employer may enter into a valid and enforceable settlement or termination agreement that includes promises of confidentiality related to alleged unlawful employment practices if the confidentiality provision expires no later than 5 years after the alleged unlawful employment practices occurred. Provides for the recovery of consequential damages incurred in challenging a contract for violation of the Act. Makes other changes.