Labor & Employment

Provides that the Act may be referred to as the Christopher James Act. Amends the Unified Code of Corrections. Provides that the Department of Corrections shall establish a Safety Committee comprised of bargaining unit and non-bargaining unit Department employees. Provides that at least 40% of committee members shall be bargaining unit employees. Provides that the Committee shall assess the Department's compliance with the Occupational Safety and Health Act and any other applicable workplace health and safety laws and shall make recommendations for improvements to processes and procedures to improve workplace safety. Provides that the Committee shall prepare an annual report on the Department's workplace safety efforts and plans for the future to further promote safety in the workplace. Provides that the Director of Corrections shall appoint 60% of the Safety Committee, including the non-bargaining unit members and up to 2 members of the International Union of Operating Engineers. Provides that the exclusive collective bargaining representative of the majority of the Department of Corrections employees shall appoint the remaining 40% of the Safety Committee. Provides that the Director of Corrections shall appoint the chairperson of the Committee. Provides that the appointed chairperson of the Committee shall have a professional background and training in an environmental health and safety field. Provides that the chairperson of the Safety Committee, or the chairperson's designee, may conduct a workplace safety inspection of any property, equipment, or workplace under the control or supervision of the Department at any time and shall conduct random unannounced inspections as often as deemed necessary. Provides that the chairperson of the Safety Committee, or the chairperson's designee, may also investigate training practices for the use of equipment and may direct that alternative trainings be used. Provides that the Committee chairperson, or the chairperson's designee, may take any piece of equipment lacking industry standard safeguards out of service. Provides that the jurisdiction of the Safety Committee is strictly limited to the Occupational Safety and Health Act and any other applicable workplace health and safety laws. Provides that these provisions are subject to appropriations.

Amends the Public Safety Employee Benefits Act. Provides that, if the injured employee subsequently dies, the employer shall continue to pay the entire health insurance premium for the surviving spouse (rather than the surviving spouse until remarried) and for the dependent children under specified conditions.

HB 1267 updates Illinois' Personnel Record Review Act to explicitly include county, municipal, and State law enforcement agencies under the definition of "employer." This change ensures police departments and their personnel records are covered by the existing law governing employee record reviews. The bill does not create new policies but clarifies that current procedures for reviewing personnel records apply to law enforcement agencies, directly affecting police departments and their employees. The change is procedural, aligning law enforcement with other covered employers under the Act.

Amends the Board of Higher Education Act. Provides that, subject to appropriation, the Board of Higher Education shall award a grant to a statewide association of public pension funds affiliated with a public institution of higher education to develop and deliver an in-person financial literacy training program for public employees. Provides that the program shall consist of in-person training regarding retirement income, including pension benefits, Social Security benefits, and employer-sponsored deferred compensation and retiree healthcare savings plans and shall also include instruction in financial planning and important elements of consumer finance, such as debt, educational savings, budgeting, and related subjects. Provides that the program shall include recorded programs to assist public employees who work on nontraditional shift assignments.

Amends the State Employee Article of the Illinois Pension Code. Provides that a member who is eligible to receive an alternative retirement annuity may elect to receive an estimated payment that shall commence no later than 30 days after the later of either the member's last day of employment or 30 days after the member files for the retirement benefit with the System. Provides that the estimated payment shall be the best estimate by the System of the total monthly amount due to the member based on the information that the System possesses at the time of the estimate. Provides that if the amount of the estimate is greater or less than the actual amount of the monthly annuity, the System shall pay or recover the difference within 6 months after the start of the monthly annuity. Excludes a benefit increase resulting from the amendatory Act from the definition of "new benefit increase". Effective immediately.

Amends the Criminal Code of 2012. In the offense of aggravated battery based on the status of the victim, includes the battery of a health care worker: (1) performing his or her official duties; (2) battered to prevent performance of his or her official duties; or (3) battered in retaliation for performing his or her official duties. Deletes provision that a person commits aggravated battery when, in committing a battery, other than by discharge of a firearm, he or she knows the individual battered to be a nurse while in the performance of his or her duties as a nurse. Provides that a violation is a Class 2 felony. Defines "health care worker".

Amends the Child Care Act of 1969. Creates a manufacturer child care center incentive pilot program in this State. Provides that an applicant shall follow staffing, medication, background checks, and liability insurance requirements as contained in administrative rule. Provides that the pilot program is limited to 10 sites and is available to any manufacturer who has a facility in the State. Provides that a manufacturer may apply on an individual basis or in a group of 2 or more manufacturers. Provides that a child care center must only be made available to employees of the manufacturer at no cost to the employee. Provides the application requirements for the pilot program. Provides requirements for maintaining and dispensing medications for the child care center. Provides that a child care center shall require all persons subject to background checks under administrative rule to furnish written information regarding any criminal convictions, to submit to fingerprinting, and to authorize the background checks required. Provides that the Department of Children and Family Services shall create a website and application process for the pilot program that streamlines the application process and is maintained on the Department website. Provides that an application for the pilot program shall receive priority consideration once submitted. Amends the Illinois Income Tax Act. Creates an income tax credit for each taxpayer who participates in the manufacturer child care center incentive pilot program in the amount of $250 for each child enrolled in the taxpayer's child care center.

Creates the Veterans Day Paid Leave Act. Requires each employer, subject to certain exceptions, to provide each employee who is a veteran with a paid day off on Veterans Day if the employee would otherwise be required to work on that day. Provides that the employee must provide notice to the employer that he or she intends to take time off on Veterans Day and must provide the employer with documentation verifying that he or she is a veteran. Contains provisions concerning circumstances under which an employer may deny such a time off request. Provides that, if the employer denies the time off request, the employer must make a good faith effort to provide the employee with a substitute day on which the employee may receive paid time off. Amends the Illinois Income Tax Act. Creates an income tax credit in an amount equal to 100% of the wages paid by the taxpayer to a veteran as a result of the paid day off required under the Veterans Day Paid Leave Act. Effective immediately.

Amends the Nurse Practice Act. Provides that an individual licensed under this Section may apply for a program that provides a full tuition reimbursement to individuals who: (1) attended and graduated from an education program based in the State; and (2) commit to working in a safety-net hospital in the State for at least 5 years.

Amends the State Officials and Employees Ethics Act. Provides that any person who has successfully completed the training required under this Act is considered to have successfully completed similar training requirements for harassment and discrimination prevention that may be required for employment in Illinois or to receive a license from the State. This includes, but may not be limited to, the training required under the Illinois Human Rights Act.