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Legal Statutes: Illinois

UPDATED January 4, 2013

Illinois Statutes


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Act 180. Victims' Economic Security and Safety Act

back to top180/15. Purposes

(1) to promote the State's interest in reducing domestic violence, dating violence, sexual assault, and stalking by enabling victims of domestic or sexual violence to maintain the financial independence necessary to leave abusive situations, achieve safety, and minimize the physical and emotional injuries from domestic or sexual violence, and to reduce the devastating economic consequences of domestic or sexual violence to employers and employees;

(2) to address the failure of existing laws to protect the employment rights of employees who are victims of domestic or sexual violence and employees with a family or household member who is a victim of domestic or sexual violence, by protecting the civil and economic rights of those employees, and by furthering the equal opportunity of women for economic self-sufficiency and employment free from discrimination;

(3) to accomplish the purposes described in paragraphs (1) and (2) by (A) entitling employed victims of domestic or sexual violence and employees with a family or household member who is a victim of domestic or sexual violence to take unpaid leave to seek medical help, legal assistance, counseling, safety planning, and other assistance without penalty from their employers for the employee or the family or household member who is a victim; and (B) prohibiting employers from discriminating against any employee who is a victim of domestic or sexual violence or any employee who has a family or household member who is a victim of domestic or sexual violence, in a manner that accommodates the legitimate interests of employers and protects the safety of all persons in the workplace.
P.A. 93-591, § 15, eff. Aug. 25, 2003. Amended by P.A. 96-635, § 5, eff. Aug. 24, 2009.