Illinois: Employers Await Guidance on Workplace Transparency Act Reporting as July 1 Deadline Approaches

By Jason Patterson and Bill Pokorny - Franczek P.C.

June 18, 2020

Last summer, Illinois adopted sweeping anti-harassment legislation including a new law known as the Workplace Transparency Act. As explained in our prior alert on this aspect of the Act, beginning July 1, 2020 and every July 1 thereafter, Illinois employers are required to submit information regarding adverse judgments and administrative rulings related to cases involving sexual harassment or unlawful discrimination to the Illinois Department of Human Rights (IDHR). While the July 1 deadline is right around the corner, the IDHR has not yet provided additional guidance regarding the procedure employers will follow when making the required disclosures.

The IDHR is expected to issue guidance at some point, but it is not clear whether this will occur before the July 1 deadline. In the absence of specific guidance from the IDHR, employers that have had recent adverse judgments or administrative rulings in sexual harassment or discrimination cases should consult with their employment counsel to determine what, if any, action they need to take under the new law.