Labor & Employment

in committee · Illinois · House Feb 13, 2026

HB 5422: CREATIVE WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT

Creates the Illinois Creative Workforce Development Act. Establishes a program within the Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity to provide skills training, business development, financial literacy, contract education, and career transition support for independent and project-based creative workers. Includes a pilot program to test portable, worker-controlled benefits without reclassifying workers. Sets minimum compensation guidelines, timely payment requirements, and written contract standards for publicly funded creative work. Requires regional balance, targeted outreach to underrepresented communities, and data collection disaggregated by race, gender, and geography. Authorizes grants for cross-sector integration of creative skills into education, health, technology, and tourism. Creates the Illinois Creative Workforce Fund. Grants rulemaking authority. Makes a conforming change to the State Finance Act.

Topics ✓ Labor & EmploymentSupports Labor & EmploymentBill sets minimum compensation, timely payment, written contracts, and portable benefits pilot for creative workers, directly advancing their employment standards and rights.95% confidence

Sub-Topics Workforce Development

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in committee · Illinois · Senate Jul 2, 2026

SB 3183: WORKER PROTECTION UNIT

Amends the Attorney General Act. Provides that, prior to initiating an action, the Attorney General shall conduct an investigation and, in addition to other powers, may: (1) issue subpoenas for documents; (2) require written answers under oath to written interrogatories; (3) inspect the premises of an employer and inspect and make copies of employment-related records kept at the premises; and (4) conduct interviews with workers at an employer's premises during normal business or working hours. Sets forth additional provisions concerning investigations; interviews; subpoenas; obstruction; and search warrants.

Topics ✓ Labor & EmploymentSupports Labor & EmploymentGives Attorney General investigative powers to inspect workplaces, interview workers, and enforce labor compliance, directly strengthening worker protection enforcement.95% confidence

Sub-Topics Workplace Safety

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in committee · Illinois · House Feb 10, 2026

HB 5377: WORK ALWAYS PAYS ACT

Creates the Work Always Pays Act. Provide that a State-administered benefit program shall not reduce benefits by more than $0.50 for each $1.00 increase in a household's earned income. If an increase in earned income results in a reduction of net household resources compared to the level in effect immediately prior to the increase, then the household shall be eligible for a bridge credit. Provides that the amount of the bridge credit shall equal the difference between: (i) the household's net household resources immediately prior to the increase in earned income; and (ii) the household's net household resources after the increase in earned income and corresponding benefit adjustments. Provides that a household that experiences an increase in earned income shall be subject to a 90-day earnings buffer period. Amends the State Finance Act to make a conforming change. Effective January 1, 2027.

Topics ✓ Budget & TaxesSupports Budget & TaxesPrevents benefit reductions exceeding income gains, ensuring net household resources increase with earned income - supports low-income workers through fiscal policy.85% confidence ✓ Labor & EmploymentSupports Labor & EmploymentBill prevents benefit reductions exceeding 50% of earned income increases and provides bridge credits to maintain net household resources, directly protecting workers from benefit cliffs and strengthening income support.95% confidence

Sub-Topics Income Tax Labor Standards

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in committee · Illinois · House Apr 17, 2026

HB 5678: $FY27 ILRB OCE

Makes appropriations for the ordinary and contingent expenses of the Illinois Labor Relations Board for the fiscal year beginning July 1, 2026, as follows: General Funds $2,855,100.

Topics ✓ Budget & TaxesSupports Budget & TaxesAllocates $2.855M to ILRB for FY27, providing specific funding for state agency operations under budget appropriations.95% confidence ✓ Labor & EmploymentSupports Labor & EmploymentFunds Illinois Labor Relations Board (ILRB) operations, which enforces labor laws, protects collective bargaining, and upholds workers' rights. Directly supports labor relations infrastructure.90% confidence

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in committee · Illinois · House Apr 13, 2026

HB 4751: WAGES & BENEFITS-SKILLED LABOR

Amends the Prevailing Wage Act. Restores certain provisions of the Act to the form in which they existed before Public Act 104-17 took effect. Provides that nothing in the Act prohibits the payment of wages and fringe benefits for work performed under the Act that is based upon the craft and the skill level of the laborers, mechanics, or other employees who perform the work if the wages and fringe benefits are established and are paid in accordance with a collective bargaining agreement or understanding between an employer or an employer association and a bona fide labor organization for work performed of a similar character in the locality in which the work is performed. Effective July 1, 2026.

Topics ✓ Labor & EmploymentSupports Labor & EmploymentRestores collective bargaining agreements as basis for wages/benefits under Prevailing Wage Act, advancing worker benefits and bargaining rights per bill's language.95% confidence

Sub-Topics Collective Bargaining Labor Standards

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in committee · Illinois · House Mar 27, 2026

HB 4856: NEW CHILD BONDING LEAVE ACT

Creates the New Child Bonding Leave Act. Provides that an employee who has gained custody of a child within the previous 4 weeks, either through birth, adoption, foster care placement, or otherwise, is entitled to 12 weeks of unpaid leave. Provides that an employer shall not require that an employee use any paid leave available to the employee for any reason instead of leave the employee is entitled to under the Act. Provides that, upon the conclusion of leave taken under the Act, an employee shall be reinstated to the employee's former position or a substantially equivalent one with no loss of benefits held or accrued prior to taking leave. Allows an employer to require an employee submit documentation to demonstrate that they are entitled to leave under the Act. Sets forth provisions concerning unlawful employer practices; Department of Labor responsibilities; and enforcement of the Act.

Topics ✓ Labor & EmploymentSupports Labor & EmploymentCreates 12 weeks unpaid leave for child bonding, prohibits employers from forcing use of paid leave, and protects job restoration - directly expanding worker benefits and employment standards.95% confidence

Sub-Topics Paid Leave

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in committee · Illinois · Senate Jun 1, 2026

SB 3744: DAY&TEMPORARY LABOR SERVICES

Amends the Day and Temporary Labor Services Act by restoring certain provisions of the Act to the form in which they existed before their amendment by Public Act 103-437 through December 31, 2027. Makes the amendatory provisions to the Act that were made by Public Act 103-437 operative on and after January 1, 2028. Effective immediately.

Topics ✓ Labor & EmploymentSupports Labor & EmploymentRestores pre-2023 labor protections for day/temp workers, strengthening employment standards under the Day and Temporary Labor Services Act.90% confidence

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in committee · Illinois · House Mar 27, 2026

HB 5546: VENDOR PORTAL-LABOR AGREE

Amends the Illinois Procurement Code. Provides that the vendor portal for the Department of Transportation must include any locally-applicable project labor agreement requirements.

Topics ✓ Labor & EmploymentSupports Labor & EmploymentMandates inclusion of project labor agreements in vendor portal, supporting collective bargaining and worker protections in procurement.85% confidence

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in committee · Illinois · Senate May 22, 2026

SB 3188: EMPLOYEE BLOOD DONATION-LEAVE

Amends the Employee Blood Donation Leave Act. Provides that an employee who does not have available paid leave is entitled to take one hour of unpaid leave every 56 days to donate blood. Provides that the leave to serve as an organ donor is unpaid unless the employer has a policy allowing the leave to be paid or unless the employee has available paid leave. Provides that, if the employer does not have a policy providing paid leave and the employee does not have enough available paid leave to cover the absence, the employee is entitled to up to 10 days of unpaid leave in any 12-month period in order to serve as an organ donor. Makes other changes.

Topics ✓ Labor & EmploymentSupports Labor & EmploymentCreates new unpaid leave entitlement for blood donation, expanding worker benefits without restricting rights85% confidence

Sub-Topics Paid Leave

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in committee · Illinois · House Mar 27, 2026

HB 4955: EMPLOYEE OWNERSHIP DEVELOPMENT

Creates the Employee Ownership Development Act. Provides that the State Treasurer shall segregate a portion of the Treasurer's State investment portfolio in the Employee Ownership Development Account. Provides that moneys in the Employee Ownership Development Account shall be invested by the State Treasurer to provide employee ownership capital to employee ownership development projects seeking to locate, expand, or remain in the State. Sets forth provisions concerning Employee Ownership Development Account-Recipient Funds. Provides that the Employee Ownership Development Fund is created as a non-appropriated trust fund within the State treasury, which may receive a portion of earnings from the Employee Ownership Development Account. Provides for reporting requirements. Provides that the State Treasurer may adopt rules necessary to implement the Act. Effective immediately.

Topics ✓ Budget & TaxesSupports Budget & TaxesCreates dedicated state fund (Employee Ownership Development Account) from Treasurer's portfolio to provide capital for employee ownership projects, directly advancing fiscal management for economic development.92% confidence ✓ Labor & EmploymentSupports Labor & EmploymentCreates state-funded capital for employee ownership projects, advancing worker ownership stakes and economic benefits through dedicated investment90% confidence

Tags Economic Development

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