To provide hospitality workers greater protections against sexual harassment and assault, the Chicago City Council has passed the “Hands Off Pants On” Ordinance. The Ordinance requires all hotels in the City to adopt a panic button system and an anti-sexual harassment policy.

Effective January 1, 2017, employees who work for an employer with no more than 14 employees will be entitled to 4 workweeks of unpaid leave in any 12-month period to address issues related to domestic or sexual violence.    

Illinois has passed the Job Opportunities for Qualified Applicants Act. The Act provides that a private employer may not inquire into or require disclosure of a job applicant's criminal record or criminal history before the candidate has been notified that the candidate has been selected for a job interview or has been offered a conditional offer of employment. It requires consideration of the nature and gravity of a candidate's conviction record, the time elapsed since the conviction, and whether the conviction has a direct bearing on the candidate's fitness before excluding a candidate.

Executive Summary