The Illinois legislature has been quite active, leaving many
employers wondering: "Is Illinois the new California?"
Some measures, like Chicago's Fair Workweek Ordinance, are new,
while other laws amended existing statutes, including the Equal Pay
Act, the Illinois Human Rights Act, and the Wage Payment and
Collection Act. This article will cover certain wide-ranging
developments and trends, from recreational marijuana use and how
legalization impacts workplace policies, to Illinois' new
#MeToo law requiring sweeping changes for employers.
Changes Effective September 2019
Equal Pay Act Amendments
Beginning September 29, 2019, Illinois' Equal Pay Act will
provide even broader pay protections to Illinois workers. The
statute now requires employers to compensate employees equally,
without regard to sex or race, where they perform substantially
similar work that requires substantially equal skill,
effort, and responsibility. This expands the statute's
