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The Victims' Economic Security and Safety Act, or VESSA, allows
employees who are victims of domestic or sexual violence, or who
have a family or household member who is a victim of domestic or
sexual violence, with up to 12 workweeks of unpaid leave in any
12-month period to seek medical attention, legal assistance and
counseling. "Domestic Violence Awareness Month gives the Illinois
Department of Labor an opportunity to highlight VESSA, a significant
labor law specifically designed to protect victims of domestic or
sexual violence from employment discrimination," said Catherine
Shannon, director of the Illinois Department of Labor. "IDOL is the
governmental agency responsible for enforcing VESSA, and we are
committed to continually raising awareness and understanding of the
law, so employees and employers know what a victim's working rights
are if domestic violence carries over into their workplace."
Gov. Rod R. Blagojevich signed VESSA into law on Aug. 25, 2003,
making Illinois one of 11 states that have statutes or ordinances
providing nondiscrimination or leave provisions specifically to
victims of domestic or sexual violence. For many victims of domestic
and sexual violence, abuse experienced at home often follows them to
the workplace when they are harassed by threatening phone calls and
e-mails. The employee may become less productive due to
abuse-related stress or may be unable to work due to physical
injuries. VESSA aims to provide employees with the financial
independence necessary to leave abusive situations, without fear of
losing their jobs.
Blagojevich recently announced the Illinois Department of Human
Services' new, statewide Domestic Violence Help Line:
1-877-TO-END-DV (1-877-863-6338),
a toll-free, 24-hour, seven-days-a-week, multilingual service that
links victims to domestic violence services. The number functions as
a confidential clearinghouse for domestic violence services and
information. Callers will be connected to staff known as victim
information and referral advocates, or VIRAS. These trained
advocates will link survivors to domestic violence services in their
communities, including shelter, counseling, legal services and
partner abuse intervention programs. The advocates may also identify
nontraditional domestic violence services, provide safety planning
or tips, and help survivors explore service options. Bilingual and
bicultural Spanish-speaking advocates are always available, and
interpretation services for more than 170 languages are immediately
accessible to address the needs of other non-English-speaking
callers.
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The Department of Labor is working with the Illinois Department of
Human Services to highlight the state's domestic violence awareness
efforts this month. The awareness campaign will include the new
toll-free number in multilingual radio public service announcements
in Spanish, Polish, Ukrainian, Chinese (Mandarin and Cantonese) and
Hindi/Urdu. The Department of Labor will also conduct Victims'
Economic Security and Safety Act training seminars in several cities
statewide and will issue reminders about this law to hundreds of
domestic violence agencies and shelters, community organizations,
employment and training centers, legal assistance providers, social
service agencies, and local police departments.
According to the Victims' Economic Security and Safety Act, an
employee who is a victim of domestic or sexual violence may take
unpaid leave to obtain medical attention or counseling for physical
or psychological injuries, participate in safety planning, including
relocation to increase the safety of the victim, and seek legal
assistance to ensure the health and safety of the victim. Employers
are prohibited from discharging, harassing or otherwise
discriminating against any individual with respect to compensation,
terms, conditions or privileges of employment because the individual
is, or is perceived to be, a victim of domestic or sexual violence,
or exercises his or her rights under the act. Employers with 50 or
more employees, including the state of Illinois and any unit of
local government or school district, are subject to this law.
If an employer is found to have violated the act, the Department
of Labor may require the employer to pay damages equal to the amount
of wages, employment benefits or other compensation denied or lost,
with interest, or provide equitable relief, such as reinstatement,
promotion, reasonable accommodations and attorney's fees.
Additionally, the employer is liable to pay a penalty of 1 percent
per calendar day to the employee for each day of delay in paying the
damages, if the employer fails to do so within 30 days after an
order is entered.
Any employee who believes his or her rights have been violated
may file a complaint with the Department of Labor within three years
after the alleged violation occurs by calling 312-793-6797 or by
visiting
www.state.il.us/agency/idol.
[Text from
Illinois
Department of Labor file received from
the
Illinois Office of
Communication and Information] |
