Bill Text: IL HR0639 | 2021-2022 | 102nd General Assembly | Introduced

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Bill Title: Urges the Illinois General Assembly to adopt a Young Workers' Bill of Rights. Urges Illinois leaders to expand the availability of youth apprenticeships in low-wealth communities and develop regulations to ensure young adults in all industries receive monetary compensation. Urges policymakers to actively involve young workers and advocates in the policymaking processes that determine the economic prosperity of future generations.

Spectrum: Partisan Bill (Democrat 10-0)

Status: (Passed) 2022-04-05 - Resolution Adopted [HR0639 Detail]

Download: Illinois-2021-HR0639-Introduced.html

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HR0639 LRB102 26022 MST 35450 r
HOUSE RESOLUTION
WHEREAS, Eighteen to 34 year olds comprise 48 percent of
our civilian labor workforce across the United States and are
heavily employed in precarious industries, including retail,
leisure, hospitality, and part-time work; and
WHEREAS, Seventy percent of young adults are living
paycheck to paycheck; and
WHEREAS, During a recession, the unemployment rate for
younger workers often rises faster and higher compared with
other workers; and
WHEREAS, In the State of Illinois, employers are free to
terminate workers at any time without providing a reason,
preventing workers from accessing reliable employment and
preventing workers from improving their workplaces; and
WHEREAS, Median wages have declined or have remained
unchanged in the last decade in the industries employing young
adults; and
WHEREAS, Workers at the 10th percentile saw only 3.3
percent cumulative growth in hourly wages between 1979 and
2019; meanwhile, workers at the 50th percentile saw 15.1

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percent growth over that period, and workers at the 90th
percentile saw a staggering 44.3 percent growth; and
WHEREAS, Not all employers offer paid family and sick
leave, disproportionately impacting young adults and working
families in Black and Latinx households; and
WHEREAS, Eighty-three percent of those workers who
contracted COVID-19 reported they did not receive paid sick
leave from their employer nor any government assistance, such
as unemployment benefits; and
WHEREAS, Unstable, unpredictable, and rigid scheduling
practices disproportionately affect low-wage workers, heavily
skewed with working young adults, making it nearly impossible
for them to balance work responsibilities and personal needs;
and
WHEREAS, Unpredictable schedules are associated with
financial insecurity, high stress, poor health outcomes, and
less time spent with family; and
WHEREAS, Fluctuation in hours and compensation make it
extremely difficult for young adults to earn enough money to
live without going in debt; and

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WHEREAS, Fifty-seven percent of those who remain in the
Illinois restaurant industry say they are leaving due to
unlivable wages; and
WHEREAS, Economic barriers, such as child care,
transportation, safe housing, and food, impact young adults at
a higher rate, creating difficulty in finding and obtaining a
high quality job; and
WHEREAS, Apprenticeships and pre-apprenticeship programs
are not representative of all demographics and communities in
Illinois; and
WHEREAS, According to a 2020 report from the Illinois
Department of Labor, only four percent of Illinois apprentices
are women, and 29 percent are Black and Latinx; therefore, be
it
RESOLVED, BY THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES OF THE ONE
HUNDRED SECOND GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS, that
for young workers in Illinois to thrive in a recovering
economy, we urge the Illinois General Assembly to adopt a
Young Workers' Bill of Rights, which includes the rights to:
(1) Inherit an economy that provides them the security
of a secure wage, a stable work schedule, employer
contributions, worker's compensation, and a pathway to

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consider unionization regardless of their employment
classification;
(2) Maintain their income and employment in the event
of illness and life changes;
(3) Afford safe, clean housing, food, transportation,
and child care; and
(4) Have exposure and access to early career
experiences regardless of their socioeconomic background;
and be it further
RESOLVED, That we urge Illinois leaders to expand the
availability of youth apprenticeships in low-wealth
communities and develop regulations to ensure young adults in
all industries receive monetary compensation; and be it
further
RESOLVED, That we urge policymakers to actively involve
young workers and advocates in the policymaking processes that
determine the economic prosperity of future generations.