IL SB1913

Amends the Minimum Wage Law (820 ILCS 105/11) and the Illinois Wage Payment and Collection Act (820 ILCS 115/14) to explicitly prohibit employer retaliation against employees exercising their rights under these laws.

Makes it unlawful for employers to interfere with, restrain, coerce, discriminate against, or threaten employees who exercise wage and hour rights or file complaints with the Department of Labor.

Establishes criminal penalties for retaliatory discharge: Class B misdemeanor under the Minimum Wage Law and Class C misdemeanor under the Wage Payment and Collection Act for employers who discriminate against employees for asserting wage rights.

Provides employees who are unlawfully retaliated against the right to recover all legal and equitable relief, costs, and reasonable attorney's fees through either a Department of Labor claim or civil action.

Takes effect immediately upon becoming law and addresses the holding in Trochuck v. Patterson (851 F.Supp.2d 1147) to clarify that these wage laws provide a basis for retaliatory discharge claims.