Illinois Department of Human Rights Releases Compliance Guidelines for Sexual Harassment Prevention Training

[February 11, 2020]  

The Illinois Department of Human Rights (IDHR) has launched an information-based webpage concerning Public Act 101-0221 (commonly referred to as the Workplace Transparency Act), a law that requires all Illinois employers to provide sexual harassment prevention training to their employees on an annual basis.

“Dismantling the culture of silence surrounding sexual harassment requires education and mandatory training, which are our biggest tools to fight this pervasive problem,” said IDHR Director Jim Bennett. “The launch of this webpage is the first of many steps as IDHR works to administer and enforce this landmark legislation throughout 2020 and beyond. Together, we can create an Illinois where victims of sexual harassment are taken seriously, incidents are thoroughly investigated and offenders are held accountable.”

Formerly Senate Bill 75, Public Act 101-0221 was signed into law by Governor Pritzker in August 2019. Under this Act, Illinois employers have until December 31, 2020 to train employees on sexual harassment prevention. The Act provides minimum standards that must be included in the training, with additional supplemental training and policy requirements for restaurants and bars.

To assist Illinois employers with compliance, IDHR has developed several informational handouts, including:

• FAQ for Sexual Harassment Prevention Training

• Minimum Sexual Harassment Prevention Training Standards for all Employers

• Minimum Sexual Harassment Prevention Training Standards for Restaurants & Bars

• Minimum Standards for Policy on Sexual Harassment Prevention for Restaurants & Bars

The Act also mandates that IDHR provide a training module at no cost to Illinois employers and the general public. In addition to the webpage, IDHR is in the process of developing a model sexual harassment prevention training program for use by employers. Employers may develop their own sexual harassment prevention training program that meets or exceeds the minimum training standards outlined in Section 2-109(B) and/or Section 2-110(C) of the Illinois Human Rights Act (IHRA). IDHR’s model training program will be available to the public by the end of February.

For more information, please visit IDHR’s Training Institute webpage at www.illinois.gov/dhr/training.

The Illinois Department of Human Rights administers the IHRA. The IHRA prohibits discrimination in Illinois with respect to employment, financial credit, public accommodations, housing, and sexual harassment in education. For more information, visit IDHR’s homepage. You can also find us on Facebook at Facebook.com/IllinoisDHR or follow us on Twitter @Illinois_DHR.

[Illinois Office of Communication and Information]