Labor & Employment

Amends the Illinois Municipal Retirement Fund (IMRF) Article of the Illinois Pension Code. Provides that any person for whom a municipality contributed to both the Fund and a Taft-Hartley pension plan at a rate equal to or less than $5 per hour worked since July 16, 2014 shall be deemed an employee under the Article from July 16, 2014 through the effective date of the amendatory Act. Provides that, after the effective date of the amendatory Act, a person shall be deemed an employee under the Article if the participating municipality pays an hourly contribution rate to a Taft-Hartley pension plan that is equal to or less than $5 per hour worked. Makes a conforming change. Amends the State Mandates Act to require implementation without reimbursement.

Amends the Job Opportunities for Qualified Applicants Act. Provides that, unless driving is an essential job function or is related to a legitimate business purpose for a position, an employer or employment agency shall not: (1) refuse to hire, segregate, or act with respect to recruitment, hiring, promotion, renewal of employment, selection for training or apprenticeship, discharge, discipline, tenure or terms, or privileges or conditions of employment on the basis of an applicant or employee not possessing a driver's license; or (2) include a statement in a posting for a job opening for the position that an applicant must have a valid driver's license. Defines "driver's license". Effective January 1, 2027.

Amends the Public Employee Disability Act. Provides that, for purposes of provisions in the Act concerning disability benefits, "eligible employee" includes any part-time or full-time county correctional officer or any other full-time or part-time employee of a county sheriff. Provides that, when an eligible employee suffers an injury in the line of duty that causes the employee to be unable to perform the employee's duties, the employing public entity shall continue to provide health insurance benefits on the same terms and conditions as were in effect immediately prior to the injury.

Amends the Interscholastic Athletic Organization Act. Provides that an association or other entity that has as one of its purposes promoting, sponsoring, regulating, or in any manner providing for interscholastic athletics or any form of athletic competition among schools and students within this State shall require all school coaches to obtain and maintain certification in cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR), first aid, and the use of an automatic external defibrillator (AED). Requires certification in CPR and AED use to be consistent with national, evidence-based, emergency cardiovascular care guidelines. Amends the School Safety Drill Act. Provides that a cardiac emergency response plan shall include (i) establishing a cardiac emergency response team that is certified in cardiopulmonary resuscitation and the use of an automated external defibrillator and (ii) the use of annual cardiac response drills to practice the steps established in the cardiac emergency response plan, in partnership with local emergency medical services. Makes other changes concerning the plan.

Amends the First Responders Suicide Prevention Act. Provides that confidentiality protections under the Act apply regardless of whether the peer support person is employed by, or affiliated with, the same agency as the first responder receiving support. Provides that, except in specified circumstances, all communications, records, notes, reports, or information disclosed during, or in connection with, a critical incident stress management session is confidential and may not be disclosed by any CISM practitioner. Provides that a CISM practitioner may not be compelled to testify or disclose any communication, record, note, report, or information disclosed during, or in connection with, a critical incident stress management session in any administrative, civil, or criminal proceeding. Provides that the confidentiality protections under the provisions apply whether or not the CISM practitioner is affiliated with the same agency as the individual receiving services. Provides that any communication described in the provisions is subject to subpoena for good cause shown. Provides that the confidentiality protections under the provisions do not apply to (1) any threat of suicide or homicide made by a participant in a peer support counseling session or any information conveyed in a peer support counseling session related to a threat of suicide or homicide; (2) any information mandated by law or agency policy to be reported, including, but not limited to, domestic violence, child abuse or neglect, or elder abuse or neglect; (3) any admission of criminal conduct; or (4) an admission or act of refusal to perform duties to protect others or the employee of the emergency services provider or law enforcement agency. Defines "CISM practitioner" and "CISM services".

Amends the Genetic Information Privacy Act. Provides that the use of genetic testing, biomarker testing, or both (rather than only genetic testing), and the information derived from testing is confidential and privileged and may be released only to the individual tested and persons specifically authorized in writing by the individual tested to receive the information. Provides that an insurer may not seek information derived from genetic or biomarker testing (rather than only genetic testing) for use in connection with a policy of accident or health insurance (unless the individual voluntarily submits the results and the results are favorable to the individual), for nontherapeutic purposes, or for underwriting purposes. In provisions concerning the use of testing information by employers, provides that an employer may release genetic testing or biomarker testing information (rather than only genetic testing information) under specified circumstances. Limits an employer's use of genetic information, genetic testing, biomarkers, and biomarker testing (rather than only genetic information and genetic testing). In provisions concerning testing, provides that no person may disclose or be compelled to disclose the identity of any person upon whom a genetic test or biomarker test (rather than only genetic test) is performed or the results of a genetic test or biomarker test (rather than only genetic test) in a manner that permits identification of the subject of the test, except to the persons specified in the Act. Limits the concurrent exercise of home rule powers. Defines "biomarker" and "biomarker testing". Makes other and conforming changes.

Amends the Public Employee Disability Act. Provides that, whenever an eligible employee suffers any injury or illness in the line of duty (rather than suffers any injury in the line of duty) which causes that employee to be unable to perform the employee's duties, the employee shall continue to be paid by the employing public entity on the same gross pay basis, inclusive of all pensionable salary, as the employee was paid before the injury (rather than paid by the employing public entity on the same basis as he was paid before the injury), with no deduction from and with continued accrual of any sick leave credits (rather than with no deduction from his sick leave credits) and specified other compensation, with other requirements. Makes technical changes.

Amends the Employment of Teachers Article of the School Code. In a provision requiring a school board, before setting a hearing on charges stemming from causes that are considered remediable, to give a teacher reasonable warning, in writing, stating specifically the causes that, if not removed, may result in charges, allows a teacher to grieve the issuance of such warning pursuant to the applicable collective bargaining agreement to determine whether the board had just cause in issuing the warning. Requires the written warning to narrowly specify the nature of the alleged misconduct that needs to be remedied. Provides that under no circumstances may the written warning remain effective for longer than 4 years from the date of the issuance of the written warning. Requires the school district to use reasonable efforts to remove the written warning from the teacher's personnel file after the 4 years have elapsed or sooner if agreed to through the exclusive bargaining representative, with an exception. Effective immediately.

Amends the Evaluation of Certified Employees Article of the School Code. Provides that, beginning July 1, 2026, if a school district and its teachers cannot reach agreement over the decision on whether to incorporate the use of data and indicators on student growth as a factor in rating teaching performance into a teacher evaluation plan and there is no collective bargaining agreement that includes or incorporates by reference the teacher evaluation plan, then the student growth component shall be removed from the teacher evaluation plan. Effective immediately.

Amends the Volunteer Emergency Worker Job Protection Act. Provides that employment protections for volunteer emergency workers apply to volunteer emergency workers participating in required training, including a prohibition on termination and penalizing (rather than only termination). Provides that the employer may not require the employee to take vacation time or other compensatory time in order to respond to an emergency or participate in training. Provides that the Act does not apply to any employer that is a municipality with a population of 15,000 or more (currently 7,500 or more). Makes conforming changes.