Illinois

What the law prohibits

§ 15. Employee protections. An employer or the employer's agent, representative, or designee may not discharge, discipline, or otherwise penalize, threaten to discharge, discipline, or otherwise penalize, or take any adverse employment action against an employee: (1) because the employee declines to attend or participate in an employer-sponsored meeting or declines to receive or listen to communications from the employer or the agent, representative, or designee of the employer if the meeting or communication is to communicate the opinion of the employer about religious matters or political matters; (2) as a means of inducing an employee to attend or participate in meetings or receive or listen to communications described in paragraph (1); or (3) because the employee, or a person acting on behalf of the employee, makes a good faith report, orally or in writing, of a violation or a suspected violation of this Act.

Enforcement

§ 20. Right of action. An aggrieved employee may bring a civil action to enforce any provision of this Act no later than one year after the date of the alleged violation. A civil action may be brought by one or more employees for and on behalf of themselves and other employees similarly situated. The court may award a prevailing employee all appropriate relief, including injunctive relief, reinstatement to the employee's former position or an equivalent position, back pay, reestablishment of any employee benefits, including seniority, to which the employee would otherwise have been eligible if the violation had not occurred, and any other appropriate relief as deemed necessary by the court to make the employee whole. The court shall award a prevailing employee reasonable attorney's fees and costs.

Statute

(820 ILCS 57/15) Sec. 15. Employee protections.

Effective date

(Source: P.A. 103-722, eff. 1-1-25.)