Labor & Employment

Amends the Illinois Public Labor Relations Act. Defines "public sector attorney" as any of the following attorneys who are not managerial employees: Assistant State's Attorneys, Assistant Public Defenders, Assistant Appellate Defenders, Assistant Appellate Prosecutors, and attorneys in the office of the Cook County Public Guardian. Provides that public sector attorneys may not strike. Provides that, if there is an impasse between a unit of public sector attorneys and a public employer, the parties shall submit the dispute to interest arbitration. Effective December 1, 2026.

Amends the Cook County Article of the Illinois Pension Code. Provides that a contributing employee may elect to purchase creditable service for up to 48 months of active-duty military service, whether or not that service followed service as a county employee. Provides that to establish this creditable service, the contributing employee must pay to the Fund an amount determined by the Fund to represent the employee contributions for the creditable service based on his or her rate of compensation after the military service, plus interest at the effective rate from the date of discharge to the date of payment. Removes an existing provision concerning the purchase of service credit for military service. Amends the State Mandates Act to require implementation without reimbursement.

Amends the State Employee Article of the Illinois Pension Code. Provides that a member who is eligible to receive an alternative retirement annuity may elect to receive an estimated payment that shall commence no later than 30 days after the later of either the member's last day of employment or 30 days after the member files for the retirement benefit with the System. Provides that the estimated payment shall be the best estimate by the System of the total monthly amount due to the member based on the information that the System possesses at the time of the estimate. Provides that if the amount of the estimate is greater or less than the actual amount of the monthly annuity, the System shall pay or recover the difference within 6 months after the start of the monthly annuity. Excludes a benefit increase resulting from the amendatory Act from the definition of "new benefit increase". Effective immediately.

Amends the Public Safety Employee Benefits Act. Provides that, if the injured employee subsequently dies, the employer shall continue to pay the entire health insurance premium for the surviving spouse (rather than the surviving spouse until remarried) and for the dependent children under specified conditions.