In Illinois it is illegal for an employer to discriminate against an employee in hiring, firing, promotions or any other part of their employment based on the person’s race, gender, national origin, disability, age or religion.
Other municipalities make it illegal to discriminate against an employee based on other classifications such as marital status, parental status and sexual orientation.
If an employee has experienced discrimination in the workplace, Illinois requires that he or she must file a charge against their employer with the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission within 300 days or the Illinois Department of Human Rights within 180 days of the last date of discrimination. If a charge has not been filed within the stated deadline, the law prohibits the employee from taking any further legal action against the employer. Any employment charge filed with the Illinois Department of Human Rights is dual-filed with the EEOC.
If an employee files a charge with the EEOC or IDOR, they will have the option of allowing either of the agencies to pursue their complaints on their behalf. Alternatively, the employee can request a “Right to Sue” letter which allows the employee to file a complaint in the courts. The letter can will be issued 180 days after the initial filing unless the EEOC believes the charge cannot be completed within 180 days. However, the law provides that a lawsuit must be filed within 90 days of the receipt of the right to sue letter. If you do not file a lawsuit within the 90 days, you will be prohibited from pursuing your charge any futher.
If you believe you have been discriminated against by your employer contact our offices at 800-437-2571 for free consultation with one of our discrimination attorneys.
Social Networks