Harassment In Illinois - The State Laws That Protect Individuals

Besides the US federal laws against harassment, the states also frame laws to protect the rights of individuals from any kind of harassment. Harassment in Illinois is an offense both under the US federal law and the state laws. The state of Illinois has its own laws that relate to harassment and employment discrimination.

When we talk of harassment, we mean a broad sense of unwelcome conduct that creates a feeling of annoyance in the victim of harassment. Harassment can happen in any place whether in an office, a public place, a private place, or any other location. Harassment of an individual is conducted by another person or a group of persons by bullying, verbal abuse, making sexual gestures, forcing in unwilling sex, racial discrimination, stalking, hazing, defaming, or beating.

To prevent harassment during the various phases of life, the government of Illinois has made rules to protect the rights of vulnerable groups such as Afro-Americans, working women, elderly, aged employees, children, and other common people. Since harassment mostly occurs in workplaces, the rules that relate to employment or workplace conduct have been made clear by the state of Illinois.

Illinois Employment Rules: An employee unless hired on contract basis cannot be fired by the employer without proper and legal reasons. This rule prohibits the harassment of employees at the hands of aggressive employers. There are employee handbooks, which you can consult for various rules and regulations of employment in Illinois. The book completely guides you about the procedures and policies of employment. The book gives detailed information on at-will employment, employment opportunities, policies of harassment whether sexual or non-sexual, and family medical leave policies.

Workplace safety: The State of Illinois takes care that employers furnish a working environment as per requirement of federal laws. The environment must be harassment-free and also work friendly on other grounds too. There must be special provisions in the rules for employees with disabilities, a better environment for women employees and other facilities for these specific groups. The Divisions of Safety Inspection and Education in the Illinois Department of Labor ensure the enforcement of complaint cells, health standard working environment and other safety measures.

Illinois worker's compensation laws protect the rights of those employees who have met accidents or some fatal injuries. They cannot be harassed by an employer or an organization by denying his or her right to fixed monetary schemes and other benefits.

In case of sexual harassment, besides the federal laws, the state laws of Illinois protect individuals from discrimination. If any person undergoes sexual harassment, he/she can file the case directly with the office of the Illinois Department of Human Rights. It must be filed within 180 days from the date of the harassment incident.

The state laws of Illinois also protect the rights of a person from any form of discrimination based on age, religion, ethnic culture, pregnancy, or disability. There are laws of harassment in Illinois under which an employee cannot be discriminated against, in matters related to job assignments, promotion, wages, or other opportunities based on the above said factors.