What happened?

On June 30, 2025, Illinois House Bill 2488 was signed into law as Public Act 104-0017, amending several labor laws to clarify employer obligations and update enforcement standards.

Overview:

Summary Highlights from the Amendment:

1. Equal Pay Act of 2003

• Removes outdated references to a federal reporting form (EEO-1 Component 2).
• Applies to all private employers in Illinois with 100 or more employees, regardless of federal reporting requirements.
• Employers must:
  • Submit wage data by gender, race/ethnicity, and job category.
  • Certify compliance with equal pay laws and absence of systemic pay disparities.
  • Pay a $150 filing fee and recertify every two years.
• The law strengthens confidentiality protections and outlines penalties for misrepresentation.

2. Prevailing Wage Act

• Updates technical language to reflect current federal apprenticeship standards.
• Clarifies that “prevailing wage” includes both hourly wages and full fringe benefits for registered training programs.
• Expands the definition of “public works” to include clean energy, infrastructure, and environmental projects such as EV charging stations, fiber optic installations, and biosolid removal.
• Redefines “locality” to include adjacent counties when local labor is insufficient, helping ensure project continuity.
• Adds clarity to terms like “construction” and “labor organization” to align with federal labor law definitions.

Source References

• Illinois HB 2488 – Amends the Occupational Safety and Health Act – Public Act 104-0017
• Governors Press Release – HB 2488

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