Key Takeaways
Impacted Employers: Illinois employers with 15 or more employees in the current or preceding calendar year
Effective Date: January 1, 2027
Summary: Illinois has enacted legislation that will prohibit covered employers and employment agencies from including a statement in a job posting that an applicant must have a valid driver’s license, unless driving is one of the essential functions of the job and is a business necessity.
Next Steps: Covered employers should review their job posting procedures, templates, and recruiting practices. More detailed next steps can be found below.
The Details
Effective Jan. 1, 2027, Illinois will prohibit covered employers and employment agencies from including a statement in any specific job posting that an applicant must have a valid driver’s license, unless driving is one of the essential functions of the posted job and is a business necessity.
The law applies to employers with 15 or more employees in the current or preceding calendar year, the agents of such employers, and employment agencies.
If a job requires a valid driver’s license, the employer or employment agency must include a brief description in the job posting explaining why a valid driver’s license is required.
Next Steps
Covered Illinois employers should:
- Review job postings and job description templates and remove any driver’s license requirements unless driving is an essential function of the position and a business necessity.
- For roles that require a valid driver’s license, update job postings to include a brief explanation of why the license is required.
- Train HR, recruiting staff, hiring managers, and any third-party recruiters on the new restrictions before Jan. 1, 2027.
- Consider consulting legal counsel to help document the business necessity for any position that requires driving.