Illinois

What the law prohibits

Sec. 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.

Exceptions

Sec. 35. Exceptions. Nothing in this Act: (1) prohibits communications of information that the | | employer is required by law to communicate, but only to the extent of the lawful requirement; | | (2) limits the rights of an employer or its agent, | | representative, or designee to conduct meetings involving religious matters or political matters, so long as attendance is voluntary, or to engage in communications, so long as receipt or listening is voluntary; | | (3) limits the rights of an employer or its agent, | | representative, or designee from communicating to its employees any information that is necessary for the employees to perform their required job duties; | | (4) prohibits an employer or its agent, | | representative, or designee from requiring its employees to attend any training intended to foster a civil and collaborative workplace or reduce or prevent workplace harassment or discrimination; | | (5) prohibits an institution of higher education, or | | any agent, representative, or designee of the institution, from conducting meetings or participating in any communications with its employees concerning any coursework, symposia, research, publication, or an academic program at the institution; | | (6) prohibits a political organization, a political | | party organization, a caucus organization, a candidate's political organization, or a not-for-profit organization that is exempt from taxation under Section 501(c)(4), 501(c)(5), or 501(c)(6) of the Internal Revenue Code from requiring its staff or employees to attend an employer-sponsored meeting or participate in any communication with the employer or the employer's agent, representative or designee for the purpose of communicating the employer's political tenets or purposes; | | (7) prohibits the General Assembly or a State or | | local legislative or regulatory body from requiring its employees to attend an employer-sponsored meeting or participate in any communication with the employer or the employer's agent, representative, or designee for the purpose of communicating the employer's proposals to change legislation, proposals to change regulations, or proposals to change public policy; or | | (8) prohibits a religious organization from requiring | | its employees to attend an employer-sponsored meeting or participate in any communication with the employer or the employer's agent, representative, or designee for the purpose of communicating the employer's religious beliefs, practices, or tenets.

Enforcement

Sec. 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

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