The Workplace Transparency Act (WTA) recently passed the Illinois General Assembly. This law represents some of the biggest changes in Illinois employment law in the last few decades.
Since there are so many changes and each is so impactful, I will discuss individual changes in each blog post for the new few weeks.
The WTA requires every employer to provide sexual harassment prevention training to all staff annually. Training must include an explanation of sexual harassment, examples of prohibited conduct, a summary of applicable State and Federal laws about sexual harassment, and a summary of employee rights regarding sexual harassment. Failure to provide the required training will result in fines for employers.
Illinois had previously made sexual harassment training a requirement for restaurant, hotel and government groups. This latest expansion of sexual harassment training requirements in Illinois was by no means unexpected. Other States have passed similar laws. follows a growing trend in other States.
Hear the Message Clearly!
Unfortunately, sexual harassment and discrimination, race-based harassment and discrimination and many other illegal forms of harassment and discrimination are alive and well in Illinois today. Illinois is turning up the heat and the very best thing you can do is prevent these problems in your workplace.
Thing to Do Now
- Make an affirmative decision to maintain a workplace characterized by its respect for all and inclusion. Understand this is both the right thing to do, the legal thing to do and the practical thing to do.
- Develop a high-quality anti-harassment/non-discrimination policy and ensure that all who work with you understand what it requires and prohibits.
- Get some high-quality harassment and discrimination prevention training done. Good, as opposed to “check the box” sexual harassment training is especially important today. Don’t skimp here – it is false economy – good training will help ensure you have an opportunity to fix small problems, as opposed to paying for large ones.
We’ve been doing anti-harassment/non-discrimination/diversity and inclusion training for decades. Please see our website for more information: www.performtogrow.com.
This is Part Two of a three-part series on recent IDHR and Illinois state employment law changes impacting Illinois employers. For other blogs on this subject please see https://www.performtogrow.com/3-things-you-should-know-about-the-recent-illinois-human-rights-act-amendments/