Training

The Illinois Department of Human Rights (IDHR) was charged by Public Act 101-0221 (commonly referred to as the Workplace Transparency Act) to develop and release a model Sexual Harassment Prevention Training program for Illinois employers.  

"We cannot combat rampant sexual harassment in the workplace without substantive and accessible education," said IDHR Director Jim Bennett. "The release of IDHR's model sexual harassment prevention training is a major step in ensuring that every working person in Illinois understands the seriousness of sexual harassment. I urge all Illinois employers – small businesses and major corporations alike – to use this resource."

Formerly Senate Bill 75, Public Act 101-0221 was signed into law by Governor Pritzker in August 2019. Under this Act, Illinois employers are required to train employees on sexual harassment prevention by December 31, 2020, and on an annual basis thereafter.  This requirement applies to all employers with employees working in this State.  Employers must either develop their own sexual harassment prevention training program that equals or exceeds the minimum standards for sexual harassment prevention training outlined in Section 2-109(B) of the Illinois Human Rights Act (IHRA), or they may use the model training provided by the IDHR.

In addition to providing the sexual harassment prevention training described above, restaurants and bars are required to provide supplemental sexual harassment prevention training that complies with Section 2-110 of the IHRA. Illinois restaurants and bars must either develop their own supplemental training or utilize the model training provided by the IDHR.  The IDHR's supplemental training model for restaurants and bars is forthcoming.

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

Employers should keep an internal record of training compliance to be made available for IDHR inspection upon request. Records that reflect compliance may include but are not limited to, a certificate of participation, a signed employee acknowledgement, or training sign-in worksheets.

A record of training should include the names of employees trained, the date of training, the sign-in worksheets, copies of certificates of participation issued, and a copy of all written or recorded materials that comprise the training as well as the name of the training provider, if applicable. 

Records may be paper based or electronic. 

Documentation of the training should not be sent to IDHR unless requested but should be kept on the employer's premises.  

For more information about compliance, please review our Frequently Asked Questions page on sexual harassment prevention training and associated subpages.  

Illinois Employers

Illinois employers may develop their own sexual harassment prevention training programs provided they meet or exceed the minimum training standards outlined in Section 2-109(B) which include:

• an explanation of sexual harassment consistent with the IHRA;
  
• examples of conduct that constitutes unlawful sexual harassment;
• a summary of relevant federal and State statutory provisions concerning sexual harassment, including remedies available to victims of sexual harassment; and
• a summary of responsibilities of employers in the prevention, investigation, and corrective measures of sexual harassment.

For more information, please review IDHR's informational handouts by visiting:

• FAQ for Sexual Harassment Prevention Training
  
• Minimum Sexual Harassment Prevention Training Standards for Employers

Illinois Restaurants and Bars

Illinois restaurants and bars may develop their own supplemental training and written sexual harassment policy, provided they meet or exceed the minimum training standards outlined in Section 2-110 of the IHRA. 

Definitions

• "Restaurant" is defined as any business that is primarily engaged in the sale of ready-to-eat food for immediate consumption, including, but not limited to, restaurants, coffee shops, cafeterias, and sandwich stands that give or offer for sale food to the public, guests, or employees, and kitchen or catering facilities in which food is prepared on the premises for serving elsewhere.
  
• "Bar" is defined as an establishment that is devoted to the serving of alcoholic beverages for consumption by guests on the premises and that derives no more than 10% of its gross revenue from the sale of food consumed on the premises, including, but not limited to, taverns, nightclubs, cocktail lounges, adult entertainment facilities, and cabarets.

For more information, please review IDHR's informational handouts by visiting:

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

1. Section 2-109 and Section 2-110 of the Illinois Human Rights Act
2. Access the model Sexual Harassment Prevention Training
3. FAQ for Sexual Harassment Prevention Training
4. Minimum Sexual Harassment Prevention Training Standards for Employers
5. Minimum Sexual Harassment Prevention Training Standards for Restaurants & Bars
6. Minimum Standards for Policy on Sexual Harassment Prevention for Restaurants & Bars