Employer’s Size No Longer Matters for Discrimination Protections

Posted by in Employment Law, Illinois Human Rights Act, on August 21, 2019

On August 20, 2019, Gov. Pritzker signed into law an amendment that removes the limits to discrimination protections based on an employer’s size. The amendment expands the Illinois Human Rights Act’s protections by modifying the definition of “employer” so that virtually all employers in Illinois must comply with the Act. More specifically, “employer” now means any person employing at least one person within Illinois. The former definition required 15 or more employees for the Act’s protections to apply. Beginning July 1, 2020, this definition will be in effect.

The statutory exclusion in Illinois for religious-affiliated employers remains unchanged by this amendment.

For more details, review the legislature’s site.