Bill Text: IL HB1102 | 2023-2024 | 103rd General Assembly | Introduced
Bill Title: Creates the Family Leave Insurance Act. Requires the Department of Employment Security to establish and administer a family leave insurance program. Provides family leave insurance benefits to eligible employees who take unpaid family leave to care for a newborn child, a newly adopted or newly placed foster child, or a family member with a serious health condition. Authorizes family leave of up to 12 weeks during any 24-month period. Authorizes compensation for leave in the amount of 85% of the employee's average weekly wage subject to a maximum of $881 per week. Contains provisions concerning disqualification from benefits; premium payments; the amount and duration of benefits; the recovery of erroneous payments; hearings; defaulted premium payments; elective coverage; employment protection; coordination of family leave; defined terms; and other matters. Amends the State Finance Act. Creates the State Benefits Fund. Effective immediately.
Spectrum: Partisan Bill (Democrat 1-0)
Status: (Introduced) 2023-03-10 - House Committee Amendment No. 1 Rule 19(c) / Re-referred to Rules Committee [HB1102 Detail]
Download: Illinois-2023-HB1102-Introduced.html
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1 | AN ACT concerning employment.
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2 | Be it enacted by the People of the State of Illinois,
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3 | represented in the General Assembly:
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4 | Section 1. Short title. This Act may be cited as the Family | |||||||||||||||||||||
5 | Leave Insurance Act.
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6 | Section 5. Declaration of policy and intent. | |||||||||||||||||||||
7 | (a) Many employees do not have access to family and | |||||||||||||||||||||
8 | medical leave programs, and those who do may not be in a | |||||||||||||||||||||
9 | financial position to take family or medical leave that is | |||||||||||||||||||||
10 | unpaid, and employer-paid benefits meet only a relatively | |||||||||||||||||||||
11 | small part of this need. It is the public policy of this State | |||||||||||||||||||||
12 | to protect
working families against the economic hardship | |||||||||||||||||||||
13 | caused by the
need to take time off from work to care for | |||||||||||||||||||||
14 | themselves or family members who
are suffering from a serious | |||||||||||||||||||||
15 | illness or to care for a newborn or a newly adopted child. | |||||||||||||||||||||
16 | Moreover, many women are single mothers or the primary | |||||||||||||||||||||
17 | breadwinners for their families. If any of these women take an | |||||||||||||||||||||
18 | unpaid maternity leave, her whole family, and Illinois, | |||||||||||||||||||||
19 | suffers. | |||||||||||||||||||||
20 | The United States is the only industrialized nation in the | |||||||||||||||||||||
21 | world that does not have a mandatory workplace-based program | |||||||||||||||||||||
22 | for such income support. | |||||||||||||||||||||
23 | It is therefore desirable and necessary to develop systems |
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1 | that help families adapt to the competing interests of work | ||||||
2 | and home which not only benefit workers, but also benefit | ||||||
3 | employers by reducing employee turnover and increasing worker | ||||||
4 | productivity. | ||||||
5 | (b) It is the intent of the General Assembly to create a | ||||||
6 | family leave program to relieve the serious menace to health, | ||||||
7 | morals, and welfare of Illinois families, to increase | ||||||
8 | workplace productivity, and to alleviate the enormous and | ||||||
9 | growing stress on working families of balancing the demands of | ||||||
10 | work and family needs.
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11 | Section 10. Definitions. In this Act: | ||||||
12 | (1)(A) "Average weekly wage" means the amount derived by | ||||||
13 | dividing a covered employee's total wages earned from the | ||||||
14 | employee's most recent covered employer during the base weeks | ||||||
15 | in the 8 calendar weeks immediately preceding the calendar | ||||||
16 | week in which a period of family leave commenced by the number | ||||||
17 | of such base weeks. | ||||||
18 | (B) If the computation in paragraph (A) yields a result | ||||||
19 | that is less than the employee's average weekly earnings in | ||||||
20 | employment with all covered employers during the base weeks in | ||||||
21 | such 8 calendar weeks, then the average weekly wage shall be | ||||||
22 | computed on the basis of earnings from all covered employers | ||||||
23 | during the base weeks in the 8 calendar weeks immediately | ||||||
24 | preceding the week in which the period of family leave | ||||||
25 | commences. |
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1 | (C) For periods of family leave, if the computations in | ||||||
2 | paragraphs (A) and (B) both yield a result which is less than | ||||||
3 | the employee's average weekly earnings in employment with all | ||||||
4 | covered employers during the base weeks in the 26 calendar | ||||||
5 | weeks immediately preceding the week in which the period of | ||||||
6 | family leave commenced, then the average weekly wage shall, | ||||||
7 | upon a written request to the Department by the employee on a | ||||||
8 | form provided by the Department, be computed by the Department | ||||||
9 | on the basis of earnings from all covered employers of the | ||||||
10 | employee during the base weeks in those 26 calendar weeks. | ||||||
11 | (2) "Base hours" means the hours of work for which an | ||||||
12 | employee receives compensation. "Base hours" includes overtime | ||||||
13 | hours for which the employee is paid additional or overtime | ||||||
14 | compensation and hours for which the employee receives | ||||||
15 | workers' compensation benefits. "Base hours" also includes | ||||||
16 | hours an employee would have worked except for having been in | ||||||
17 | military service. At the option of the employer, "base hours" | ||||||
18 | may include hours for which the employee receives other types | ||||||
19 | of compensation, such as administrative, personal leave, | ||||||
20 | vacation or sick leave. | ||||||
21 | (3) "Care" includes, but is not limited to, physical care, | ||||||
22 | emotional support, visitation, arranging for a change in care, | ||||||
23 | assistance with essential daily living matters, and personal | ||||||
24 | attendant services. | ||||||
25 | (4) "Child" means a biological, adopted, or foster child, | ||||||
26 | stepchild, or legal ward of an eligible employee, child of a |
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1 | spouse of the eligible employee, or child of a civil union | ||||||
2 | partner of the eligible employee, who is less than 19 years of | ||||||
3 | age or is 19 years of age or older, but incapable of self-care | ||||||
4 | because of a mental or physical impairment. | ||||||
5 | (5) "Civil union" means a civil union as defined in the | ||||||
6 | Illinois Religious Freedom Protection and Civil Union Act.
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7 | (6) "Consecutive leave" means leave that is taken without | ||||||
8 | interruption based upon an employee's regular work schedule | ||||||
9 | and does not include breaks in employment in which an employee | ||||||
10 | is not regularly scheduled to work. For example, when an | ||||||
11 | employee is normally scheduled to work from September through | ||||||
12 | June and is not scheduled to work during July and August, a | ||||||
13 | leave taken continuously during May, June, and September shall | ||||||
14 | be considered a consecutive leave. | ||||||
15 | (7) "Department" means the Department of Employment | ||||||
16 | Security.
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17 | (8) "Director" means the Director of Employment Security | ||||||
18 | and any transaction or exercise of authority by the Director | ||||||
19 | shall be deemed to be performed by the Department.
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20 | (9) "Eligible employee" means an employee, other than an | ||||||
21 | employee of the State of Illinois, its political subdivisions, | ||||||
22 | or instrumentalities, employed by the same employer, as | ||||||
23 | defined in paragraph (10), in the State of Illinois for 12 | ||||||
24 | months or more who has worked 1,200 or more base hours during | ||||||
25 | the preceding 12-month period. An employee is considered to be | ||||||
26 | employed in the State of Illinois if: |
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1 | (A) the employee works in Illinois; or | ||||||
2 | (B) the employee routinely performs some work in | ||||||
3 | Illinois and the employee's base of operations or the | ||||||
4 | place from which the work is directed and controlled is in | ||||||
5 | Illinois. | ||||||
6 | (10) "Employer" means any partnership, association, trust, | ||||||
7 | estate, joint-stock company, insurance company, or | ||||||
8 | corporation, whether domestic or foreign, or the receiver, | ||||||
9 | trustee in bankruptcy, trustee, or person that has in its | ||||||
10 | employ one or more employees performing services for it within | ||||||
11 | this State. "Employer" also includes any employer subject to | ||||||
12 | the Unemployment Insurance Act, except the State, its | ||||||
13 | political subdivisions, and any instrumentality of the State. | ||||||
14 | All employees performing services within this State for any | ||||||
15 | employing unit that maintains 2 or more separate | ||||||
16 | establishments within this State shall be deemed to be | ||||||
17 | employed by a single employing unit for all purposes of this | ||||||
18 | Act. | ||||||
19 | (11) "Family member" means an eligible employee's child, | ||||||
20 | spouse, party to a civil union, parent, or any other | ||||||
21 | individual related by blood or whose close relationship with | ||||||
22 | the employee is the equivalent of a family relationship. | ||||||
23 | (12) "Family leave" means leave taken by an eligible | ||||||
24 | employee from work with an employer: (A) to participate in the | ||||||
25 | providing of care, including physical or psychological care, | ||||||
26 | for the employee or a family member of the eligible employee |
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1 | made necessary by a serious health condition of the family | ||||||
2 | member; (B) due to pregnancy; (C) to be with a child during the | ||||||
3 | first 12 months after the child's birth, if the employee, the | ||||||
4 | employee's spouse, or the party to a civil union with the | ||||||
5 | employee, is a biological parent of the child, or the first 12 | ||||||
6 | months after the placement of the child for adoption or foster | ||||||
7 | care with the employee; (D) for the employee's own serious | ||||||
8 | health condition; (E) for the purposes of adopting a child; or | ||||||
9 | (F) because of any qualifying exigency as interpreted under | ||||||
10 | the Family and Medical Leave Act of 1993 (29 U.S.C. | ||||||
11 | 2612(a)(1)(E) and 29 CFR 825.126) arising out of the fact that | ||||||
12 | the spouse, party to a civil union, child, parent of the | ||||||
13 | employee, or any other individual related by blood or whose | ||||||
14 | close relationship with the employee is equivalent to a family | ||||||
15 | relationship is on active duty (or has been notified of an | ||||||
16 | impending call or order to active duty) in the armed forces as | ||||||
17 | of the United States. "Family leave" does not include any | ||||||
18 | period of time during which an eligible employee is paid | ||||||
19 | benefits pursuant to the Workers' Compensation Act or the | ||||||
20 | Unemployment Insurance Act because the employee is unable to | ||||||
21 | perform the duties of the employee's employment due to the | ||||||
22 | employee's own disability. | ||||||
23 | (13) "Family leave benefits" means any payments that are | ||||||
24 | payable to an eligible employee for all or part of a period of | ||||||
25 | family leave. | ||||||
26 | (14) "Health care provider" means any person licensed |
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1 | under federal, State, or local law or the laws of a foreign | ||||||
2 | nation to provide health care services or any other person who | ||||||
3 | has been authorized to provide health care by a licensed | ||||||
4 | health care provider.
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5 | (15) "Intermittent leave" means a non-consecutive leave | ||||||
6 | consisting of intervals, each of which is at least one, but | ||||||
7 | fewer than 12, weeks within a consecutive 12-month period. | ||||||
8 | (16) "Parent of an eligible employee" means a biological | ||||||
9 | parent, foster parent, adoptive parent, or stepparent of the | ||||||
10 | eligible employee or a person who was a legal guardian of, or | ||||||
11 | who stood in loco parentis to, the eligible employee when the | ||||||
12 | eligible employee was a child. | ||||||
13 | (17) "Placement for adoption" means the time when an | ||||||
14 | eligible employee adopts a child or becomes responsible for a | ||||||
15 | child pending adoption by the eligible employee. | ||||||
16 | (18) "Serious health condition" means an illness, injury, | ||||||
17 | impairment, or physical or mental condition that requires | ||||||
18 | inpatient care in a hospital, hospice, or residential medical | ||||||
19 | care facility or continuing medical treatment or continuing | ||||||
20 | supervision by a health care provider. | ||||||
21 | (19) "12-month period" means, with respect to an employee | ||||||
22 | who establishes a valid claim for family leave benefits during | ||||||
23 | a period of family leave, the 365 consecutive days that begin | ||||||
24 | with the first day that the employee first establishes the | ||||||
25 | claim.
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1 | Section 15. Family leave program. | ||||||
2 | (a) Subject to appropriation, the Department shall | ||||||
3 | establish and administer a family leave program. | ||||||
4 | (b) The Department shall establish procedures and forms | ||||||
5 | for filing
claims for benefits under this Act. | ||||||
6 | (c) The Department shall use information sharing and | ||||||
7 | integration
technology to facilitate the disclosure of | ||||||
8 | relevant information or records by the Department of | ||||||
9 | Employment Security.
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10 | (d) Information contained in the files and records | ||||||
11 | pertaining to an
employee under this Act is confidential and | ||||||
12 | not open to public
inspection, other than to public employees | ||||||
13 | in the performance of their
official duties. However, the | ||||||
14 | employee or an authorized
representative of an employee may | ||||||
15 | review the records or receive
specific information from the | ||||||
16 | records on the presentation of the signed
authorization of the | ||||||
17 | employee. An employer or the employer's duly
authorized | ||||||
18 | representative may review the records of an employee
employed | ||||||
19 | by the employer in connection with a pending claim. At the
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20 | Department's discretion, other persons may review records when | ||||||
21 | such
persons are rendering assistance to the Department at any | ||||||
22 | stage of the
proceedings on any matter pertaining to the | ||||||
23 | administration of this
Act. | ||||||
24 | An employer must keep at its place of business records of | ||||||
25 | employment from which the information needed by the Department | ||||||
26 | for purposes of this Act may be obtained. The records shall at |
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1 | all times be open to the inspection of the Department pursuant | ||||||
2 | to rules adopted by the Department. | ||||||
3 | (e) The Department shall develop and implement an outreach | ||||||
4 | program
to ensure that individuals who may be eligible to | ||||||
5 | receive family leave
benefits under this Act are made aware of | ||||||
6 | these benefits.
Outreach information shall explain, in an easy | ||||||
7 | to understand format,
eligibility requirements, the claims | ||||||
8 | process, weekly benefit amounts,
maximum benefits payable, | ||||||
9 | notice requirements, reinstatement and
nondiscrimination | ||||||
10 | rights, confidentiality, and coordination of leave
under this | ||||||
11 | Act and other laws, collective bargaining agreements,
and | ||||||
12 | employer policies. Outreach information shall be available in
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13 | English and in languages other than English
that
are spoken as | ||||||
14 | a primary language by a significant portion of the State's
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15 | population, as determined by the Department.
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16 | Section 20. Eligibility for benefits. | ||||||
17 | (a) The Department may require that a claim for family | ||||||
18 | leave benefits under this Section be supported by
a | ||||||
19 | certification issued by a health care provider who is | ||||||
20 | providing care to the employee or the employee's family
member | ||||||
21 | if applicable. | ||||||
22 | (b) An employee is not eligible for family leave benefits | ||||||
23 | under this Section for any week for which the
employee | ||||||
24 | receives paid family leave from his or her employer. If an | ||||||
25 | employer provides paid family leave, the employee may elect |
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1 | whether first to use the paid family leave or to receive family | ||||||
2 | leave benefits under this Section.
An employee may not be | ||||||
3 | required to use paid family leave to which the employee is | ||||||
4 | entitled
before receiving family leave benefits under this | ||||||
5 | Section. | ||||||
6 | (c) This Section does not limit an employee's right to | ||||||
7 | take leave from employment
under other laws or employer | ||||||
8 | policy. | ||||||
9 | (d) The eligibility of an employee for benefits is not | ||||||
10 | affected by a strike or lockout at the
factory, establishment, | ||||||
11 | or other premises at which the employee is or was last | ||||||
12 | employed. | ||||||
13 | (e) An employee who has received benefits under this | ||||||
14 | Section may not lose any other
employment benefits, including | ||||||
15 | seniority or pension rights, accrued before the date that
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16 | family leave commenced. However, this Section does not entitle | ||||||
17 | an employee to accrue employment
benefits during a period of | ||||||
18 | family leave or to a right, benefit, or position of employment
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19 | other than a right, benefit, or position to which the employee | ||||||
20 | would have been
entitled had the employee not taken family | ||||||
21 | leave. | ||||||
22 | (f) This Section does not diminish an employer's | ||||||
23 | obligation to comply with a collective
bargaining agreement or | ||||||
24 | an employment benefits program or plan that provides greater
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25 | benefits to employees than the benefits provided under this | ||||||
26 | Section. |
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1 | (g) An agreement by an employee to waive the employee's | ||||||
2 | rights under this Section is
void as contrary to public | ||||||
3 | policy. The benefits under this Section may not be diminished | ||||||
4 | by
a collective bargaining agreement or another employment | ||||||
5 | benefits program or plan entered
into or renewed after the | ||||||
6 | effective date of this Act. | ||||||
7 | (h) Nothing in this Act shall be deemed to affect the | ||||||
8 | validity or change the terms of bona fide collective | ||||||
9 | bargaining agreements in force on the effective date of this | ||||||
10 | Act. After that date, requirements of this Act may be waived in | ||||||
11 | a bona fide collective bargaining agreement, but only if the | ||||||
12 | waiver is set forth explicitly in such agreement in clear and | ||||||
13 | unambiguous terms. | ||||||
14 | (i) This Section does not create a continuing entitlement | ||||||
15 | or contractual right.
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16 | Section 25. Disqualification from benefits. | ||||||
17 | (a) An employee is disqualified from family leave benefits | ||||||
18 | under this Act if the
employee: | ||||||
19 | (1) willfully makes a false statement or | ||||||
20 | misrepresentation regarding a material fact, or
willfully | ||||||
21 | fails to disclose a material fact, to obtain benefits; | ||||||
22 | (2) seeks benefits based on an intentionally | ||||||
23 | self-inflicted serious health condition; or
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24 | (3) seeks benefits based on a serious health condition | ||||||
25 | that resulted from the employee's
commission of a felony. |
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1 | (b) A disqualification for family leave benefits is for a | ||||||
2 | period of 2 years, and
commences on the first day of the | ||||||
3 | calendar week in which the employee filed a claim for
benefits | ||||||
4 | under this Act. An employee who is disqualified for benefits | ||||||
5 | is liable to the Department for a penalty in an amount equal to | ||||||
6 | 15% of the amount
of benefits received by the employee.
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7 | Section 30. State Benefits Fund. | ||||||
8 | (a) The State Benefits Fund is created as a special fund in | ||||||
9 | the State treasury. Subject to appropriation, moneys in the | ||||||
10 | Fund may be used for the payment of family leave benefits and | ||||||
11 | for the administration of this Act. All interest and other | ||||||
12 | earnings that accrue from investment of moneys in the Fund | ||||||
13 | shall be credited to the Fund. | ||||||
14 | (b) An employer shall retain from all employees a payroll | ||||||
15 | premium deduction in the amount of 0.5% of wages. The | ||||||
16 | Department shall by rule provide for the collection of this | ||||||
17 | payroll premium deduction. | ||||||
18 | The amount of the payroll premium imposed under this | ||||||
19 | Section, less refunds authorized by this Act, and all | ||||||
20 | assessments and penalties collected under this Act shall be | ||||||
21 | deposited into and credited to the Fund. | ||||||
22 | (c) A separate account, to be known as the Administration | ||||||
23 | Account, shall be maintained in the Fund. An amount determined | ||||||
24 | by the Department sufficient for proper administration, not to | ||||||
25 | exceed, however, 0.1% of wages, shall be credited to the |
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1 | Administration Account. The expenses of the Department in | ||||||
2 | administering the Fund and its accounts shall be charged | ||||||
3 | against the Administration Account. The costs of | ||||||
4 | administration of this Act shall be charged to the | ||||||
5 | Administration Account. | ||||||
6 | (d) A separate account, to be known as the Family Leave | ||||||
7 | Benefits Account, shall be maintained in the Fund. The account | ||||||
8 | shall be charged with all benefit payments. Prior to July 1 of | ||||||
9 | each calendar year, the Department shall determine the average | ||||||
10 | rate of interest and other earnings on all investments of the | ||||||
11 | Fund for the preceding calendar year. If there is an | ||||||
12 | accumulated deficit in the Family Leave Benefits Account in | ||||||
13 | excess of $200,000 at the end of any calendar year after | ||||||
14 | interest and other earnings have been credited as provided in | ||||||
15 | this Section, the Department shall determine the ratio of the | ||||||
16 | deficit to the total of all taxable wages paid during the | ||||||
17 | preceding calendar year and shall make an assessment against | ||||||
18 | all employers in an amount equal to the taxable wages paid by | ||||||
19 | them during the preceding calendar year to employees, | ||||||
20 | multiplied by the ratio, but in no event shall any such | ||||||
21 | assessment exceed 0.1% of such wages. The amounts shall be | ||||||
22 | collectible by the Department in the same manner as provided | ||||||
23 | for the collection of employer contributions under the | ||||||
24 | Unemployment Insurance Act. In making this assessment, the | ||||||
25 | Department shall furnish to each affected employer a brief | ||||||
26 | summary of the determination of the assessment. The amount of |
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1 | such assessments collected by the Department shall be credited | ||||||
2 | to the Family Leave Benefits Account.
As used in this Section, | ||||||
3 | "wages" means wages as provided in Section 235 of the | ||||||
4 | Unemployment Insurance Act. | ||||||
5 | (e) A board of trustees, consisting of the State | ||||||
6 | Treasurer, the Secretary of State, the Director of Labor, the | ||||||
7 | Director of Employment Security, and the State Comptroller, is | ||||||
8 | hereby created. The board shall invest and reinvest all moneys | ||||||
9 | in the Fund in excess of its cash requirements in obligations | ||||||
10 | legal for savings banks. | ||||||
11 | (f) The Department may adjust rates, not to exceed the | ||||||
12 | amount
established in subsection (b) of this Section, for the
| ||||||
13 | collection of premiums pursuant to subsection (b) of this
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14 | Section. The Department shall set rates for premiums in a | ||||||
15 | manner
that minimizes the volatility of the rates assessed and | ||||||
16 | so that
at the end of the period for which the rates are | ||||||
17 | effective, the
cash balance shall be an amount approximating | ||||||
18 | 12 months of
projected expenditures from the
Fund, considering | ||||||
19 | the functions and duties of the Department
under this Act. | ||||||
20 | (g) An employer required to pay premiums under this
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21 | Section shall make and file a report of employee hours worked
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22 | and amounts due under this Section upon a combined report form
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23 | prescribed by the Department. The report shall be
filed with | ||||||
24 | the Department at the times and in the
manner prescribed by the | ||||||
25 | Department. | ||||||
26 | (h) If the employer is a temporary employment agency that
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1 | provides employees on a temporary basis to its customers, the
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2 | temporary employment agency is considered the employer for
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3 | purposes of this Section. | ||||||
4 | (i) When an employer quits business or sells out, | ||||||
5 | exchanges,
or otherwise disposes of the business or stock of | ||||||
6 | goods, any
premium payable under this Section is immediately | ||||||
7 | due and
payable, and the employer shall, within 10 days | ||||||
8 | thereafter, pay
the premium due. A person who becomes a | ||||||
9 | successor to the
business is liable for the full amount of the | ||||||
10 | premium and shall
withhold from the purchase price a sum | ||||||
11 | sufficient to pay any
premium due from the employer until the | ||||||
12 | employer produces a
receipt from the Department showing | ||||||
13 | payment in full of
any premium due or a certificate that no | ||||||
14 | premium is due. If the
premium is not paid by the employer | ||||||
15 | within 10 days after the
date of the sale, exchange, or | ||||||
16 | disposal, the successor is
liable for the payment of the full | ||||||
17 | amount of the premium. The
successor's payment of the premium | ||||||
18 | is, to the extent of the
payment, a payment upon the purchase | ||||||
19 | price, and if the payment
is greater in amount than the | ||||||
20 | purchase price, the amount of the
difference is a debt due the | ||||||
21 | successor from the employer. | ||||||
22 | A successor is not liable for any premium due from the
| ||||||
23 | person from whom the successor has acquired a business or | ||||||
24 | stock
of goods if the successor gives written notice to the
| ||||||
25 | Department of the acquisition and no assessment is issued by
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26 | the Department within one year after receipt of the notice
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1 | against the former operator of the business.
| ||||||
2 | Section 35. Compensation for family leave. | ||||||
3 | (a) An individual's weekly benefit rate shall be 85% of | ||||||
4 | his or her average weekly wage, subject to a maximum of $881 | ||||||
5 | per week paid to workers by employers, as determined pursuant | ||||||
6 | to Section 401 of the Unemployment Insurance Act; however, the | ||||||
7 | individual's benefit rate shall be computed to the next lower | ||||||
8 | multiple of $1 if not already a multiple thereof. The amount of | ||||||
9 | benefits for each day of family leave for which benefits are | ||||||
10 | payable shall be one-seventh of the corresponding weekly | ||||||
11 | benefit amount; provided that the total benefits for a | ||||||
12 | fractional part of a week shall be computed to the next lower | ||||||
13 | multiple of $1 if not already a multiple thereof. | ||||||
14 | (b) With respect to any period of family leave and while an | ||||||
15 | individual is an eligible employee, family benefits not in | ||||||
16 | excess of the individual's maximum benefits shall be payable | ||||||
17 | with respect to the first day of leave taken after the first | ||||||
18 | one-week period following the commencement of the period of | ||||||
19 | family leave and each subsequent day of family leave during | ||||||
20 | that period of family leave; and if benefits become payable on | ||||||
21 | any day after the first 3 weeks in which leave is taken, then | ||||||
22 | benefits shall also be payable with respect to any leave taken | ||||||
23 | during the first one-week period in which leave is taken. The | ||||||
24 | maximum total benefits payable to any eligible individual | ||||||
25 | commencing on or after the effective date of this Act shall be |
| |||||||
| |||||||
1 | 12 times the individual's weekly benefit amount or one-third | ||||||
2 | of his or her total wages in his or her base year, whichever is | ||||||
3 | the lesser; provided that the maximum amount shall be computed | ||||||
4 | in the next lower multiple of $1 if not already a multiple | ||||||
5 | thereof. | ||||||
6 | (c) All of the family leave benefits paid to an eligible | ||||||
7 | employee during a period of family leave with respect to any | ||||||
8 | one birth or adoption shall be for a single continuous period | ||||||
9 | of time, except that the employer of the eligible employee may | ||||||
10 | permit the eligible employee to receive the family leave | ||||||
11 | benefits during non-consecutive weeks in a manner mutually | ||||||
12 | agreed to by the employer and the eligible employee and | ||||||
13 | disclosed to the Department by the employer. | ||||||
14 | (d) Nothing in this Act shall be construed to prohibit the | ||||||
15 | establishment by an employer, without approval by the | ||||||
16 | Department, of a supplementary plan or plans providing for the | ||||||
17 | payment to employees, or to any class or classes of employees, | ||||||
18 | of benefits in addition to the benefits provided by this Act or | ||||||
19 | to prohibit the collection or receipt of additional voluntary | ||||||
20 | contributions from employees toward the cost of the additional | ||||||
21 | benefits. The rights, duties, and responsibilities of all | ||||||
22 | interested parties under the supplementary plans shall be | ||||||
23 | unaffected by any provision of this Act.
| ||||||
24 | Section 40. Family leave; duration. An eligible employee | ||||||
25 | may take 12 weeks of family leave within any 24-month period in |
| |||||||
| |||||||
1 | order to provide care made necessary by reasons identified in | ||||||
2 | Section 10.
An eligible employee may take family leave on an | ||||||
3 | intermittent schedule in which all of the leave authorized | ||||||
4 | under this Act is not taken sequentially.
| ||||||
5 | Section 45. Annual reports; contents. | ||||||
6 | (a) The Department shall issue and make available to the
| ||||||
7 | public, not later than July 1, 2025 and July 1 of each
| ||||||
8 | subsequent year, annual reports providing data on family leave
| ||||||
9 | benefits claims involving pregnancy and childbirth, and family
| ||||||
10 | leave benefits, including separate data for each of the
| ||||||
11 | following categories of claims: the employee's own serious | ||||||
12 | illness; care of newborn children; care
of newly adopted | ||||||
13 | children; care of sick children; care of sick
spouses; and | ||||||
14 | care of other sick family members. The reports
shall include, | ||||||
15 | for each category of claims, the number of
workers receiving | ||||||
16 | the benefits, the amount of benefits paid,
the average | ||||||
17 | duration of benefits, the average weekly benefit,
and any | ||||||
18 | reported amount
of sick leave, vacation, or other fully paid | ||||||
19 | time which resulted
in reduced benefit duration. The report | ||||||
20 | shall provide data by
gender and by any other demographic | ||||||
21 | factors determined to be
relevant by the Department. The | ||||||
22 | reports shall also provide, for
all family leave benefits, the | ||||||
23 | total costs of benefits and the total cost of administration, | ||||||
24 | the portion of benefits for claims during family leave, and | ||||||
25 | the total revenues from employer assessments, where |
| |||||||
| |||||||
1 | applicable; employee assessments;
and other sources. | ||||||
2 | (b) The Department may, in its discretion, conduct surveys | ||||||
3 | and other research regarding, and include in the annual | ||||||
4 | reports descriptions and evaluations of the impact and | ||||||
5 | potential future impact of the costs and benefits resulting | ||||||
6 | from the provisions of this Act for: | ||||||
7 | (1) employees and their families, including surveys | ||||||
8 | and evaluations of what portion of the total number of | ||||||
9 | employees taking leave would not have taken leave, or | ||||||
10 | would
have taken less leave, without the availability of | ||||||
11 | benefits; what portion of employees return to work after | ||||||
12 | receiving benefits and what portion are not permitted to | ||||||
13 | return to work; and what portion of employees who are | ||||||
14 | eligible for benefits do not claim or receive them and why | ||||||
15 | they do not; | ||||||
16 | (2) employers, including benefits such as reduced | ||||||
17 | training and other costs related to reduced turnover of | ||||||
18 | personnel, and increased affordability of family leave | ||||||
19 | through the State, with special attention given to small | ||||||
20 | businesses; and | ||||||
21 | (3) the public, including savings caused by any | ||||||
22 | reduction in the number of people receiving public | ||||||
23 | assistance. | ||||||
24 | (c) The total amount of any expenses that the Department | ||||||
25 | determines are necessary to carry out its duties pursuant to | ||||||
26 | this Section shall be charged to the Administration Account of |
| |||||||
| |||||||
1 | the Fund.
| ||||||
2 | Section 50. Hearings. A person aggrieved by a decision of | ||||||
3 | the Department under this Act may request a hearing. The | ||||||
4 | Department shall adopt rules governing hearings and the | ||||||
5 | issuance of final orders under this Act in accordance with the | ||||||
6 | provisions of the Illinois Administrative Procedure Act. All | ||||||
7 | final administrative decisions of the Department under this | ||||||
8 | Act are subject to judicial review under the Administrative | ||||||
9 | Review Law.
| ||||||
10 | Section 55. Prohibited acts. No employer, temporary | ||||||
11 | employment
agency, employment agency, employee organization, | ||||||
12 | or other person shall discharge,
expel, or otherwise | ||||||
13 | discriminate against a person because the person has filed or | ||||||
14 | communicated
to the employer an intent to file a claim, a | ||||||
15 | complaint, or an appeal or has testified or
is about to testify | ||||||
16 | or has assisted in any proceeding, under this Act, at any time.
| ||||||
17 | Section 60. Penalties.
| ||||||
18 | (a) A person who makes a false statement or | ||||||
19 | representation, knowing it to be false, or knowingly fails to | ||||||
20 | disclose a material fact to obtain or increase any family | ||||||
21 | leave benefit during a period of family leave, either for | ||||||
22 | himself or herself or for any other person, shall be liable for | ||||||
23 | a civil penalty of $250 to be paid to the Department. Each such |
| |||||||
| |||||||
1 | false statement or representation or failure to disclose a | ||||||
2 | material fact shall constitute a separate offense. Upon | ||||||
3 | refusal to pay such civil penalty, the civil penalty shall be | ||||||
4 | recovered in a civil action by the Attorney General on behalf | ||||||
5 | the Department in the name of the State of Illinois. If, in any | ||||||
6 | case in which liability for the payment of a civil penalty has | ||||||
7 | been determined, any person who has received any benefits | ||||||
8 | under this Act by reason of the making of such false statements | ||||||
9 | or representations or failure to disclose a material fact | ||||||
10 | shall not be entitled to any benefits under this Act for any | ||||||
11 | leave occurring prior to the time he or she has discharged his | ||||||
12 | or her liability to pay the civil penalty.
| ||||||
13 | (b) A person who willfully violates any provision of this | ||||||
14 | Act or any rule adopted under this Act for which a civil | ||||||
15 | penalty is neither prescribed in this Act nor provided by any | ||||||
16 | other applicable law shall be subject to a civil penalty of | ||||||
17 | $500 to be paid to the Department. Upon the refusal to pay such | ||||||
18 | civil penalty, the civil penalty shall be recovered in a civil | ||||||
19 | action by the Attorney General on behalf of the Department in | ||||||
20 | the name of the State of Illinois. | ||||||
21 | (c) A person, employing unit, employer, or entity | ||||||
22 | violating any provision of this Section with intent to defraud | ||||||
23 | the Department is guilty of a Class C misdemeanor. The fine | ||||||
24 | upon conviction shall be payable to the Fund. Any penalties | ||||||
25 | imposed by this subsection shall be in addition to those | ||||||
26 | otherwise prescribed in this Section.
|
| |||||||
| |||||||
1 | Section 65. Leave and employment protection. | ||||||
2 | (a) During a period in which an employee receives family | ||||||
3 | leave benefits under this Act, the employee is entitled to | ||||||
4 | family leave and, at the established ending date of leave, to | ||||||
5 | be restored to a position of employment with the employer from | ||||||
6 | whom leave was taken as provided under subsection (b). | ||||||
7 | (b) Except as provided in subsection (f), an employee who | ||||||
8 | receives family leave benefits under this Act for the intended | ||||||
9 | purpose of the family leave is entitled, on return from the | ||||||
10 | leave: | ||||||
11 | (1) to be restored by the employer to the position of | ||||||
12 | employment held by the employee when the family leave | ||||||
13 | commenced; or | ||||||
14 | (2)
to be restored to an equivalent position with | ||||||
15 | equivalent employment benefits, pay, and other terms and | ||||||
16 | conditions of employment at a workplace within 20 miles of | ||||||
17 | the employee's workplace when the family leave commenced. | ||||||
18 | (c) The taking of family leave under this Act may not | ||||||
19 | result in the loss of any employment benefits accrued before | ||||||
20 | the date on which the family leave commenced. | ||||||
21 | (d) Nothing in this Section entitles a restored employee | ||||||
22 | to:
| ||||||
23 | (1) the accrual of any seniority or employment | ||||||
24 | benefits during any period of family leave; or | ||||||
25 | (2) any right, benefit, or position of employment |
| |||||||
| |||||||
1 | other than any right, benefit, or position to which the | ||||||
2 | employee would have been entitled to had the employee not | ||||||
3 | taken the family leave. | ||||||
4 | (e) Nothing in this Section prohibits an employer from | ||||||
5 | requiring an employee on family leave to report periodically | ||||||
6 | to the employer on the status and intention of the employee to | ||||||
7 | return to work. | ||||||
8 | (f) An employer may deny restoration under subsection (b) | ||||||
9 | to a salaried employee who is among the highest paid 10% of the | ||||||
10 | employees employed by the employer within 75 miles of the | ||||||
11 | facility at which the employee is employed if: | ||||||
12 | (1) denial is necessary to prevent substantial and | ||||||
13 | grievous economic injury to the operations of the | ||||||
14 | employer; | ||||||
15 | (2) the employer notifies the employee of the intent | ||||||
16 | of the employer to deny restoration on such basis at the | ||||||
17 | time the employer determines that the injury would occur; | ||||||
18 | and
| ||||||
19 | (3) the family leave has commenced and the employee | ||||||
20 | elects not to return to employment after receiving the | ||||||
21 | notice.
| ||||||
22 | Section 70. Notice to employer. | ||||||
23 | (a) If the necessity for family leave for the birth or | ||||||
24 | placement of a child is foreseeable based on an expected birth | ||||||
25 | or placement, the employee shall provide the employer with not |
| |||||||
| |||||||
1 | less than 30 days' notice, before the date the leave is to | ||||||
2 | begin, of the employee's intention to take leave for the birth | ||||||
3 | or placement of a child, except that if the date of the birth | ||||||
4 | or placement requires leave to begin in less than 30 days, the | ||||||
5 | employee shall provide such notice as is practicable.
| ||||||
6 | (b) If the necessity for family leave for an employee's or | ||||||
7 | a family member's serious health condition is foreseeable | ||||||
8 | based on planned medical treatment, the employee: | ||||||
9 | (1) must make a reasonable effort to schedule the | ||||||
10 | treatment so as not to disrupt unduly the operations of | ||||||
11 | the employer; and | ||||||
12 | (2) must provide the employer with not less than 30 | ||||||
13 | days' notice, before the date the leave is to begin, of the | ||||||
14 | employee's intention to take leave for his, her, or a | ||||||
15 | family member's serious health condition, except that if | ||||||
16 | the date of the treatment requires leave to begin in less | ||||||
17 | than 30 days, the employee must provide such notice as is | ||||||
18 | practicable.
| ||||||
19 | Section 75. Coordination of leave. | ||||||
20 | (a) Family leave taken under this Act must be taken | ||||||
21 | concurrently with any leave taken under the Federal Family and | ||||||
22 | Medical Leave Act of 1993. | ||||||
23 | (b) An employer may require that family leave taken under | ||||||
24 | this Act be taken concurrently or otherwise coordinated with | ||||||
25 | leave allowed under the terms of a collective bargaining |
| |||||||
| |||||||
1 | agreement or employer policy, as applicable, for the birth or | ||||||
2 | placement of a child. The employer must give his or her | ||||||
3 | employees written notice of this requirement.
| ||||||
4 | Section 80. Rules. The Department may adopt any rules | ||||||
5 | necessary to implement the provisions of this Act. In adopting | ||||||
6 | rules, the Department shall maintain consistency with the | ||||||
7 | regulations adopted to implement the Federal Family and | ||||||
8 | Medical Leave Act of 1993 to the extent such regulations are | ||||||
9 | not in conflict with this Act.
| ||||||
10 | Section 85. Authority to contract. The Department may | ||||||
11 | contract or enter into interagency agreements with other State | ||||||
12 | agencies for the initial administration of the Family Leave | ||||||
13 | Program.
| ||||||
14 | Section 175. Severability. The provisions of this Act are | ||||||
15 | severable under Section 1.31 of the Statute on Statutes.
| ||||||
16 | Section 900. The State Finance Act is amended by adding | ||||||
17 | Section 5.990 as follows:
| ||||||
18 | (30 ILCS 105/5.990 new) | ||||||
19 | Sec. 5.990. The State Benefits Fund.
|