Amends the Illinois Wage Payment and Collection Act. Provides that it is unlawful to include in any employment contract, or to require an employee to execute as a condition of employment or a work relationship, a contract that: (1) requires the employee to pay an employer, training provider, or debt collector for a debt if the employee's employment or work relationship with a specific employer is terminated; (2) authorizes the employer, training provider, or debt collector to resume or initiate collection of or to end forbearance on a debt if the employee's employment or work relationship with a specific employer is terminated; (3) imposes any penalty, fee, or cost on an employee if the employee's employment or work relationship with a specific employer is terminated. Provides that the provision applies to contracts entered into on or after the effective date of the amendatory Act. Provides that a contract entered into in violation of the provision is void and unenforceable. Sets forth exceptions. Effective immediately.
House Committee Amendment No. 1: Replaces everything after the enacting clause. Reinserts the provisions of the introduced bill with the following changes. Moves the provisions to the Illinois Freedom to Work Act. Provides that any payments made or wages or other payments deducted or otherwise withheld in violation of the provisions may be recovered as unpaid wages under the Wage Payment and Collection Act. Exempts from the provisions contracts with an apprenticeship program registered with the Office of Apprenticeship within the U.S. Department of Labor's Employment and Training Administration.

Statutes affected:
Introduced: 820 ILCS 115/9