In August of 2019, the Illinois governor passed a new sexual harassment law, strengthening protections in several areas:
- All employers in Illinois to provide annual training to employees aimed at preventing sexual harassment.
- Hotel and casino employers will be required to provide emergency alert devices (commonly referred to as “panic buttons”) to employees who work alone in guest rooms, restrooms, or on casino floors under a new Hotel and Casino Employee Safety Act.
- The newly-created Workplace Transparency Act restricts the use of confidentiality provisions in employment contracts, settlement, agreements, and termination agreements in which employees release claims of harassment or discrimination. The Act also restricts the use of agreements requiring employees to arbitrate harassment and discrimination claims.
- Under the new Sexual Harassment Victim Representation Act, a union would be prohibited from assigning the same representative to a victim of sexual harassment who accuses a member of his or her union to also represent the alleged perpetrator of the harassment.