An employers failure to contribute to the unemployment system will not impact an individual claimants eligibility for benefits. Laid off employees who previously had employer-provided health insurance may continue their coverage under the Consolidated Omnibus Budget Reconciliation Act (COBRA). Illinois school employees across the state will receive paid COVID sick leave if they are fully vaccinated under new law signed by Gov. Schools must provide remote learning to students who are excluded. Yes. Reissues previous Executive Orders related to the COVID-19 pandemic through December 9, 2022. SB 00154: Allows tenants in Illinois Housing Development Authority-funded housing to keep at least two cats, or one dog that weighs under 50 pounds, regardless of breed or height. In order to prevent osteoporosis and other medical conditions, this law requires health insurance plans to cover medically necessary hormone therapy treatments for women who have undergone a hysterectomy and therefore induced menopause. Sign up for free Patch newsletters and alerts. The IHRA and federal law prohibit employers from discriminating against employees on the basis of a disability or perceived disability. SB 01846: Requires restaurants to serve water, milk, milk alternative or juice with childrens meals as the default beverage, rather than soda. Reissues previous Executive Orders related to the COVID-19 pandemic through October 15, 2022. The IHRA prohibits an employer from retaliating against an employee who opposes unlawful discrimination or harassment (e.g., filing a charge or complaint; testifying, assisting or participating in an investigation, proceeding or hearing; or requesting a reasonable accommodation). HB 226: Allows students to choose whether to submit their ACT/SAT score when applying to Illinois . READ MORE | Illinois SAFE-T Act 2023: Pritzker signs revised version of controversial bill about cash bail. EXTENDS CANNABIS APPLICATIONS Further extends the deadline for cannabis craft grower, infuser and transporter license applications and directs applicants to mail completed applications. Failure to comply with the new law is punishable by a civil penalty of $10,000. CHICAGO (WLS) -- With the start of the New Year, there is always a new set of laws going into effect. Employers may not ask about an employees family members health information, but may ask employees whether they have had contact with anyone who has been diagnosed with, or is experiencing symptoms of, COVID-19. HB 03914: Requires Illinois Central Management Services to take positive action toward addressing systemic racism in the states hiring practices. REISSUES EXECUTIVE ORDERS - Reissues several executive orders, extending the provisions through March 5, 2022. This Executive Order supplements the Community Revitalization Order, Executive Order 43. Yes. SCHOOL SAFETY Schools must take specific measures to ensure the safety of students and schools, including investigating the occurrence of cases, close contacts, and symptomatic individuals. In general, individuals not authorized to work in the United States are not eligible for regular unemployment benefits or benefits under the PUA. The IHRA and federal law prohibit an employer from treating employees differently based on their age or an actual or perceived disability. It adds 16 additional endangered or threatened species to the list of animals whose parts are illegal to buy, sell or import, including giraffes, narwhals, pangolins, sharks and walruses, among others. This Executive Order supplements the Community Revitalization Order, Executive Order 43. All Rights Reserved. 99) January 13, 2022 WHEREAS, since early March 2020, Illinois has faced a pandemic that has caused extraordinary sickness and loss of life, infecting over 2,520,000, and taking the lives of more than 28,800 residents; and, Requires face coverings for all Illinois residents over age 2 in indoor settings beginning Monday, August 30, 2021. HB 00135: Requires health insurance policies to cover health care or patient care around the dispensation of birth control. Unlike defendants in criminal court, parties in immigration court do not have a constitutional right to representation. REISSUES EXECUTIVE ORDERS - Reissues several executive orders, extending a majority of the provisions through October 16, 2021. For further information or to contact the Illinois Department of Labor, visit: https://www2.illinois.gov/idol/Pages/contact.aspx. Employers should close off areas used by the person who is sick and, if possible, open windows and doors to increase air circulation in the area. Suspends specific provisions in the Hospital Licensing Act, the Hospital Report Card Act, the Department of Public Health Powers and Duties Law, the Illinois Adverse Health Care Events Reporting Law of 2005, and the Emergency Medical Services (EMS) Systems Act. Employers are required to follow the Governors Executive Orders. Yes. HB 576 amends the School Code to allow for up to five days of excused mental or behavioral health absence for students without the need to provide a medical note. This law ensures people whose cars have been stolen will not be liable for violations, fees, fines or penalties when their vehicles are caught on red light or speed cameras. Amends a few previous executive orders, such as EO-2020-07, in-person meeting requirements, and EO 2020-40, the resumption of limited in-person instruction at schools. The law does not apply to tobacco cessation products or cannabis paraphernalia. Illinois reports 3,348 new COVID-19 . REISSUES EXECUTIVE ORDERS Reissues most executive orders, extending a majority of the provisions through January 9, 2021. No. The Illinois Department of Human Rights (IDHR) investigates charges of discrimination, harassment, and retaliation filed under the IHRA. Minimum Wage Increase (Public Act 101-0001) Illinois is one of the states set to raise their minimum wage to $15 an hour by 2025. Prominently post the guidance from IDPH and the Office of the Illinois Attorney General regarding workplace safety during the COVID-19 emergency. There is currently no state or federal law that provides job protection to a healthy employee who refuses to work out of fear of contracting COVID-19. Employers should not implement or keep in place any bonus or incentive payments for work attendance that could encourage employees to work while sick or, alternately, any disciplinary programs that penalize employees for taking time off. . Days before the SAFE-T Act was set to take effect, a Kankakee County judge ruled that the portion of the SAFE-T Act that ends cash bail in Illinois is unconstitutional. VARIOUS PROVISIONS Suspends the date of each townships annual meeting for calendar year 2020. Schools must follow IDPH guidance and all schools may continue to provide food and other non-educational services. No. COVID-19 diagnostic testing should generally be covered by private insurance and available at no cost to individuals who do not have insurance under federal reimbursement programs or at a community based testing site. Includes Executive Order 2020-30, which prohibits residential evictions. Second, the PUA program has been established for individuals who are unemployed for specific reasons attributable to COVID-19 and not covered by the states regular unemployment insurance program. The amendment to the state constitution to guarantee government employees the right to organize and collectively bargain over terms of employment. RELIEF FOR UTILITY CUSTOMERS - Temporarily suspends two provisions of the Illinois Energy Assistance Act. J.B. Pritzker's office announced Monday night he signed into law changes to the Health Care Right of Conscience Act. PUBLIC ASSISTANCE Suspends the requirement that an applicant for public assistance must provide an audio recording of their verbal attestation during a telephone application for public assistance benefits. The amendment passed with more than 50% support from the overall vote in the midterm. HB 3262 allows for civil lawsuits to be filed by anyone who has suffered an injury, damage or intimidation from a hate crime consisting of a false police report or 911 call, regardless of whether criminal charges were filed in connection with the incident. REISSUES EXECUTIVE ORDERS - Reissues several executive orders, extending a majority of the provisions through January 8, 2022. The order aligns with the latest CDC guidance and rescinds emergency rules requiring face masks for fully vaccinated individuals. Reissues previous Executive Orders related to the COVID-19 pandemic through January 6, 2023. Therefore, the regions will move out of Tier 3 of the States Mitigation Plan and into the less restrictive Tier 2, effective January 15, 2021. Employees are an integral part of an effective workplace safety plan as they are often in the best position to identify hazards in a particular area or job. SB 817, also known as the Jett Hawkins Law, forbids public or private schools from applying school uniform or dress codes to hairstyles and requires the state board of education to provide hairstyle resource materials to schools. Suspends certain requirements, including the need for an adult use cannabis dispensing organization agent to obtain an agent identification card from IDFPR prior to beginning work at a dispensary and the need for a medical or adult use cannabis dispensing organization agent to keep an agent identification card visible at all times when in the dispensary. Workers who have paid out-of-pocket for employer-mandated COVID-19 testing may file a claim with the Illinois Department of Labor and use the box marked Other to describe the amount of out-of-pocket expenses incurred by the employee for mandatory COVID-19 testing. The employer may not disclose the name of individual employee(s) who test positive. After a 2019 law, the state minimum wage in Illinois increases to $12 an hour on Jan. 1, 2022. All schools must follow IDPH and ISBE health guidelines, including using PPE, temperature checks, hygienic practices, social distancing, and limiting people to 50 or fewer in one space. Ensures any impacted licensed professionals are aiding in the response to the disaster. 265, 268 and 42 C.F.R. VACCINE REQUIREMENT EXTENSION Extends the vaccination requirements for individuals in high-risk settings, including all healthcare workers, nursing home employees, all P-12 teachers and staff, and higher education personnel and students. Copyright 2023 NBCUniversal Media, LLC. DAYCARE CENTER STAFF VACCINE MANDATE - Daycare center staff statewide are required to receive the COVID-19 vaccine if they have not done so already. Suspends the requirement that a marriage license becomes effective one day after the date of issuance. On January 7, 2022, the Illinois Department of Labor (IDOL) filed peremptory rules adopting the U.S. Occupational Safety and Health Administration's (OSHA) COVID-19 Vaccination and Testing Emergency Temporary Standard (ETS). Illinois reported 735 new COVID cases and 0 related deaths Monday as statewide seven-day test positivity dropped to 1.5%. On Tuesday, Gov. PUA payments are available for claimants who lost work due to specific COVID-19 related reasons provided for in the federal law beginning the week of February 2, 2020. Employers are prohibited from retaliating against an employee for raising concerns about COVID-19, or their overall safety and health, either internally or to a government agency. All valid registry identification cards that expire between October 1, 2020 and April 30, 2021 will be granted a one-year renewal or extension. Temporary employees hired through a temporary staffing agency can be eligible for unemployment insurance. HB 00155 and HB 00310: Provides that SNAP and Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infant and Childrens Programs may use their benefits to purchase menstrual hygiene products. As with other medical information, employers must maintain the confidentiality of employee temperatures and any other symptoms. Employers should clearly explain paid leave policies and make employees aware they may be eligible for benefits if they are sick or live in the same household as someone who is diagnosed with COVID-19. If it is not feasible for employees to work from home, employers should consider what arrangements can be made to limit the number of employees who are together in the workplace at any one time. Those that continue to cancel or postpone all elective surgeries or procedures, or begin elective surgeries on or after May 11th, in order to respond to the COVID-19 outbreak shall be immune from civil liability for any alleged injury or death relating to COVID-19. Supporters say it will ensure workers will always be able to use collective bargaining to secure better pay, hours and working conditions. All state agencies must submit annual reports showing how they have worked to increase the diversity of their workforce. RESTAURANTS & BARS Beginning March 16 at 9 p.m., bars and restaurants must suspend on-premises consumption, but are permitted to continue delivery service, drive-through and curbside pick-up. REISSUES EXECUTIVE ORDERS - Reissues several executive orders, extending a majority of the provisions through December 11, 2021. Employers should recognize that health care providers may be extremely busy and not able to provide the requested documentation in a timely manner. Requests for accommodations should be evaluated and resolved on a case-by-case basis. Anti-Discrimination and Anti-Retaliation Laws Applied to COVID-19 State and federal laws require employers to maintain a workplace free of discrimination and harassment, and to ensure that employees are treated equally regardless of age, disability, sex, race, national origin, religion, or any other protected category. All officers in the state will be required to wear them by the beginning of 2025. This Executive Order supplements the Community Revitalization Order, Executive Order 43. HB 0020: Repeals the registration fee for Gold Star license plates for surviving spouses or parents of vets who died in war or peace time. 71.40 no longer necessary. Yes. You shouldn't be on the hook for tickets when your car gets stolen. The raise in minimum wage is part of legislation Illinois. An individual temporarily laid off in this situation can qualify for benefits if the individual is available for and actively seeking work. SPRINGFIELD, IL Hundreds of new laws are due to take effect next month in Illinois after legislators returned to lawmaking following the ouster of longtime Speaker Mike Madigan earlier this year. TELEHEALTH All health insurers regulated by the Department of Insurance are required to cover telehealth services and reimburse providers at the same rate as in-person visits and are prohibited from imposing any cost-sharing for in-network providers. HOSPITAL CAPACITY IDPH shall exercise discretion enforcing certain regulations. HB 03739: Creates the Lead Service Line Replacement and Notification Act to establish timelines and requirements for the removal and replacement of all lead service lines in Illinois. J.B. Pritzker's COVID-19 disaster declaration last year, Madigan opted to convene the Illinois House for a just single four-day emergency session. The cash bail provision became a hallmark campaign issue in the race of Illinois governor and state attorney general. If an employee requests a reasonable accommodation, such as telecommuting, staggering schedules, or taking a leave of absence, the employer should discuss the request with the employee to determine whether the requested accommodation, or another accommodation can be provided. This supersedes Executive Order 2020-10. REISSUES EXECUTIVE ORDERS Reissues most executive orders, extending a majority of the provisions through November 14, 2020. Employers are further prohibited from retaliating against an employee when the employee discloses information that they have reasonable cause to believe is a violation of a state or federal law, rule, or regulation.