Employment Law in Illinois
If you have suffered treatment from an employer in Illinois that violates employment laws, learning more about the law can help. Hiring an employment law attorney can best help you navigate the process, and increase the chances of winning your case.
What Is Employment Law?
Employment law covers the rights, responsibilities, and obligations within the employer-employee relationship. Employment lawyers serve both employees and employers, though they generally focus their practice on serving one or the other. Regardless of who their clients are, their goal is to present a solid case and defend them.
Understanding Employment Law Labor Rights in Illinois
Employees have a wide range of rights that employers cannot violate. If employers violate these rights, workers can file a complaint against them. Each state has unique labor laws and some also make provisions for qualifying independent contractors. Below are the most common topics covered in employment law across the country.
Wage and Hour Laws
Wage and hour laws protect non-exempt employees from being underpaid or overworked without fair compensation. These laws establish the minimum wages employees are entitled to earn and define the maximum hours they can work before qualifying for overtime pay.
In Illinois, as in other states, specific wage and hour laws apply. However, federal laws set the baseline requirements nationwide. For instance, the federal minimum wage is $7.25 per hour, though most states have higher minimums to reflect local cost-of-living differences.
The Fair Labor Standards Act states that non-exempt employees can only work 40 hours per week at their regular wage rates. If they exceed that number, the employer must pay them overtime rates at a minimum of time and a half. Some states also require weekend overtime pay, holiday pay, and overtime for working more than a certain number of hours each day.
The Illinois Department of Labor expects employers to pay the minimum wage of $11.00 per hour to anyone over 18. However, the minimum wage for anyone under 18 can be reduced by $.50 under current legislation. Additionally, if an employee receives tips during their work, the minimum wage can be decreased by 60% to $4.40 or $4.20 per hour.
Workers’ Compensation
If you’ve been injured on the job in Illinois, you might be entitled to workers’ compensation benefits. This includes payments for lost wages and past or future medical bills that resulted from your workplace injury.
To be eligible for workers’ compensation, you must meet these requirements:
- You must be an employee.
- You must have a work-related illness or injury.
- Your employer must carry workers’ comp insurance.
- You must meet the deadline for filing workers’ comp claims.
There are, however, exceptions to these requirements that may still make you eligible for workers’ compensation benefits. However, if your employer is denying you benefits, you should contact an experienced Illinois attorney for assistance with your case.
Termination Rights under Illinois Employment Law
If you live in an at-will state, or your employment is “at-will,” you can be terminated from your job without notice and without cause. However, even at-will employees have rights when it comes to termination. A violation of those rights can be a wrongful termination.
Here are some reasons your termination might be wrongful even if you are an at-will employee:
- Written promises or contracts
- Implied promises
- Violations of public policy
- Breaches of good faith and fair dealing
- Workplace retaliation
- Discrimination
- Defamation
- Fraud
- Whistleblowing violations
If you believe your termination was wrongful due to the above circumstances, then contact a qualified Illinois employment law attorney right away. This is because there are time constraints on how long you can wait to file a claim.
It’s worth keeping in mind that Illinois may not remain an at-will state for long. HB350 and SB2332 are under consideration at the time of writing. This legislation could, among other changes, make employers use a progressive discipline system for terminating employees.
Unemployment Benefits
If you’ve lost your job, you can file for unemployment benefits with the state unemployment agency. The agency will either approve or deny your claim. If it’s approved, you’ll receive monthly unemployment checks and benefits in the mail after filing weekly unemployment claims. Still, unemployment claims can be denied for several reasons, including:
- If you were fired for misconduct.
- You voluntarily quit your job.
- You do not have enough earnings during the work period.
If your claim is denied, then you can appeal the decision if you think it’s the wrong choice. Working with an experienced Illinois attorney during the appeal process can improve your chances of winning the case.
Paid and Unpaid Time Off
Additionally, some states require paid time off as well as medical and family leave for employees. Oftentimes, this is combined into one singular paid time off, (PTO), amount. Laws can vary from state to state, but typically PTO is accrued over time and you’ll get a set amount of PTO days per year.
Some states have laws that force the employer to pay for unused PTO. If you are not given proper PTO or your employer doesn’t follow your state’s medical or family leave laws, you can file a complaint.
The Illinois Employee Sick Leave Act provides protections to residents of Illinois with sick relatives. Under this legislation, employers must allow workers time off to care for family members. Additionally, the law requires the organization that employs you to provide at least 1 hour of sick leave for every 40 hours you work.
Child Labor Laws
Child labor laws are a lot more strict than regular labor laws and require employers to be extra careful when scheduling minors. Each state has its child labor laws that outline the number of hours a minor can work per week. These include how often they should have breaks, how many days in a row they can work, and how late they can work each night.
Illinois Child Labor Law sets the rules and regulations for employing minors at the time of writing. For example, the following hour restrictions apply to 14 and 15-year-olds while school is in session:
- Limit of 3 hours of work on a school day
- Maximum of 24 hours per week
- School and work hours cannot exceed 8 hours combined daily
Illinois Employment Anti-Discrimination Laws
A collection of federal anti-discrimination laws protects workers from employment discrimination. Following are brief descriptions of some of these anti-discrimination acts:
- Title VII of the Civil Rights Act: Prohibits employers from selecting job applicants and employees based on race, religion, color, sex, and national origin.
- Age Discrimination Act: Prohibits discrimination based on age for employees over the age of 40 years old.
- Pregnancy Discrimination Act: Prohibits employers from discriminating based on pregnancy, childbirth, or a related condition.
- Americans with Disabilities Act: Prohibits employers from discriminating against people with disabilities at any time during the application or hiring process or once the person holds the job.
- Equal Pay Act: Requires employers to give men and women equal pay for equal work.
Sexual Harassment
If a coworker, employer, or client sexually harasses someone in the workplace; the employee has a set of rights to protect them from further harassment. Laws also offer protection from retaliation, such as getting fired for reporting a manager. If you or someone you know is being sexually harassed in the workplace, report it to your HR department.
The Illinois state government provides a helpline (877-236-7703) for people who need help with sexual harassment where they work. Additionally, the Illinois Department of Human Rights enforces the law and protects victims from further abuse.
Work With an Experienced Illinois Employment Lawyer
If you have employment law concerns, or you’re currently preparing for a case in Illinois, then working with an experienced attorney can help. The hard part is finding the right one. We can even help you connect with an attorney across Illinois state lines.
Submit a request online or call us today at (866) 345-6784 to get in touch with an experienced lawyer in your area!
About the Author
Aaron is a professional legal writer with a B.S. in English Education from Southern Illinois University – Carbondale. He has written, published, and edited thousands of legal articles for RequestLegalHelp, which has connected over 5 million people to legal help in the United States.
With over five years of experience writing thousands of legal articles for law firms across the U.S. and Canada, Aaron specializes in covering federal, state, and city-level legal issues ranging from auto accidents to wrongful terminations.
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