Legislative/Legal Updates

Stay up-to-date on legislative issues impacting human resources.

New Illinois Laws Taking Effect Soon

Paid Jury Duty — HB 4844 (Public Act 104-0683) — Effective January 1, 2027
Employers with more than 25 employees must pay employees their regular rate of pay for time served on jury duty.
HB 4844 on ilga.gov

Illinois Menopause Equity and Care Act — HB 5284 (Public Act 104-0793) — Employment provisions effective January 1, 2027
Menopause-related reasonable accommodations are handled through the Illinois Human Rights Act's pregnancy-accommodation framework, and the required workplace notice must mention them. (Health-plan coverage provisions follow January 1, 2028.)
HB 5284 on ilga.gov

Volunteer Emergency Worker Job Protection — HB 1353 (Public Act 104-0581) — Effective January 1, 2027
Volunteer firefighters and EMS personnel may not be penalized for emergency responses or required training, and may not be forced to use vacation or comp time for them.
HB 1353 on ilga.gov

Civil Rights Safeguard Act — SB 3777 (Public Act 104-0744) — Effective June 1, 2027
Writes “disparate impact” liability into the Illinois Human Rights Act: neutral policies such as degree requirements and background checks can be a civil-rights violation if they disproportionately affect a protected group and are not job-related and consistent with business necessity.
SB 3777 on ilga.gov

Genetic Information Privacy Act — Biomarker Protections — SB 2886 (Public Act 104-0642) — Effective January 1, 2027
GIPA's strict limits on employer use and disclosure of genetic information now also cover biomarker testing — relevant to wellness programs and employee health screening results.
SB 2886 on ilga.gov

Federal — On the Horizon

EEOC Proposed Rule: Removal of EEO Reporting Requirements
A proposed federal rule (July 2026) would eliminate the annual EEO-1 report and other EEO reports if finalized. The final rule is still pending — current filing obligations remain in place until it issues.
EEOC proposed rule — Federal Register

Track Legislation

Illinois General Assembly — track any Illinois bill or public act. Fall veto session: November 17–19 and December 1–3, 2026.
ilga.gov

SHRM Advocacy Resources — SHRM's state and federal legislative calendars and policy priorities for chapters.
SHRM Advocacy Resources

Also in effect

E-Verify / work-authorization verification (SB 508, P.A. 103-0879) — Effective Jan 1, 2025 (already in effect). Illinois regulates employer use of E-Verify and similar systems: no verification requirements beyond federal law; when a work-authorization discrepancy is asserted, the employee gets written notice of the specific deficiency, how to correct it, and the right to representation — no adverse action on initial results alone; employers must post notice of any I-9 inspection within 72 hours in the languages used with employees; anti-retaliation protections apply. (IDOL guidance: the law does not ban voluntary E-Verify use — it adds these notice and process rules.) ILGA bill page