Labor & Employment

Amends the Construction Site Temporary Restroom Facility Act. Changes the Act's short title to the Construction Site Temporary Restroom Facility and Sanitary Conditions for Menstruation and Lactation Act. Repeals a provision which specifies that separate toileting facilities are not required for males and females if individual portable toilet facilities are used by an owner of a portable building or building under construction to provide access to a restroom. Provides that, if a woman or an individual who menstruates is present on a work site and there are 10 or more workers of any gender at the work site, then a separate toilet facility shall be provided at the work site and designated for use by women and individuals who menstruate. Requires employers in the construction industry to provide their workers who menstruate and are performing construction activities on a work site with minimum sanitary conditions. Describes the required minimum sanitary conditions. Requires employers in the construction industry, upon request, to provide their workers who are lactating and performing construction activities on a work site with reasonable accommodations needed to express breast milk. Describes reasonable accommodations for lactation. Provides that, on or before January 1, 2027, the Department of Public Health shall provide guidance to employers on the accommodations to be provided. Authorizes employees of construction sites to call the certified local public health agency with jurisdiction over a construction site to request an inspection if noncompliance with the Act is suspected. Prohibits retaliation by employers if a call is made by an employee on a construction site for suspected noncompliance with the Act. Provides that any owner who fails or refuses to comply with the provisions of the Act commits a petty offense and is subject to a fine to be determined by the certified local public health agency (rather than only being subject to a petty offense). Defines "employer". Effective immediately.

Amends the State Employees Group Insurance Act of 1971. Provides that if both spouses are eligible covered members and are employees under the State Employees Article of the Illinois Pension Code, then one spouse may enroll the other spouse as an eligible dependent if: (1) both spouses provide to the Department of Central Management Services, upon the request of the Department of Central Management Services, an attestation that the member and the member's spouse have elected for the spouse to be enrolled as a dependent; and (2) the spouses continue to be married. Provides that upon electing to enroll in the program of group health benefits as an eligible dependent under the amendatory provisions, a member forfeits his or her rights as a member under the Act with respect to the program of group health benefits during the period when that election is in effect. Makes conforming changes to the definition of "dependent" and provisions concerning contributions.

Amends the Illinois Civil Rights Act of 2003. Prohibits an otherwise qualified individual with a disability, as defined by the Environmental Barriers Act, from being excluded from participation in, be denied the benefits of, or be subjected to discrimination solely by reason of the individual's disability under any of the following: (i) any program or activity operating inside Illinois and receiving federal financial assistance; (ii) any program or activity receiving federal financial assistance that passes through or is administered by State, county, or local government; (iii) any activity regulated by the State that receives federal financial assistance; or (iv) any program or activity receiving State, county, or local government financial assistance. Provides that a State agency that has an existing mechanism for enforcing federal Section 504 rights under the federal Rehabilitation Act may also enforce provisions of the Act. Authorizes the Attorney General to commence a civil action to enforce the provisions of this Act in any appropriate circuit court if the Attorney General has reasonable cause to believe that any person or group of persons is engaged in a pattern of discrimination prohibited by this Act. Provides that disability discrimination under the Act includes violations of the substantive rights provided in the federal regulations adopted under the federal Rehabilitation Act. Provides that these rights constitute a minimum set of rights that may not be reduced. Requires the Secretary of State to maintain a copy of the regulations in a manner that is easily available to the public such as on a website in a searchable format. Makes the Act severable.

Amends the Illinois Human Rights Act. Provides that in the Articles governing employment, financial credit, and public accommodations it is a civil rights violation to use criteria or methods including practices, policies, and groups of practices or policies that has the effect of subjecting individuals to discrimination prohibited under the Act. Changes the definition of "unlawful discrimination" to mean discrimination against a person, whether by purpose or effect, because of his or her actual or perceived: race, color, religion, national origin, ancestry, age, sex, marital status, order of protection status, disability, military status, sexual orientation, pregnancy, reproductive health decisions, or unfavorable discharge from military service as those terms are defined in the Act.

Creates the Police Mental Health Leave Act. Provides that a law enforcement officer suffering from a mental illness as a result of a traumatic event shall be entitled to use 5 days of paid mental health leave during any 12-month period. Requires a law enforcement agency to adopt a mental health leave policy that includes specified provisions. Sets forth provisions concerning existing leave policies; employee protections; retaliation; and recordkeeping. Provides for a private right of action.

Amends the Fair Contracting for Health Care Practitioners Act. Provides that, except as otherwise provided, a covenant not to compete entered into on or after the effective date of the Act is deemed contrary to the public policy and is void and unenforceable by an employer. Provides that an employer may enforce a covenant not to compete if the length of the covenant not to compete is no more than one year, provided that the health care practitioner was not dismissed by the employer. Sets forth provisions concerning the scope of the Act. Effective January 1, 2027.

Amends the Smart Start Illinois Act. Expands eligibility under the Smart Start Child Care Workforce Compensation Program to Head Start and Early Head Start programs.

HB 5598 amends Illinois' Line of Duty Compensation Act to include animal control officers and animal wardens within the scope of the law. This change directly affects these professionals by allowing them to qualify for line-of-duty compensation if injured or killed while performing their duties, similar to police, firefighters, and other covered personnel. The bill achieves this by adding "animal control officer" and "animal warden" to the definitions in Section 2(e) of the Act, clarifying they are covered under the same terms as law enforcement officers and fire personnel. The legislation does not alter compensation amounts or procedures, only expands eligibility to these specific roles.

Amends the Illinois Income Tax Act. Provides that the tax credit for employee child care shall be (i) 30% of the start-up costs expended by the corporate taxpayer to provide a child care facility for the children of its employees and (ii) 10% (currently, 5%) of the annual amount paid by the corporate taxpayer in providing the child care facility for the children of its employees. Creates an income tax credit for corporate taxpayers that are qualified small businesses in an amount equal to 10% of the federal tax credit claimed by the taxpayer for the taxable year for qualified child care expenditures. Effective immediately.

Amends the Unified Code of Corrections. Provides that a person committed to the Department of Corrections who is paid wages performing a work assignment must receive a rate of compensation that is not less than the minimum wage required under the Minimum Wage Law.