Rights of The People
Workplace Rights
The Attorney General's Workplace Rights Bureau protects and advances the employment rights of all Illinois residents, particularly the state's most vulnerable residents and immigrant populations. The bureau investigates and litigates cases involving serious or persistent wage law violations or other significant employment practices. It monitors and proposes legislation concerning labor and employment issues.
The Workplace Rights Bureau also advocates for important labor and employment law matters by drafting amicus curiae briefs and commenting on proposed regulatory changes. Additionally, the bureau conducts outreach and partners with other governmental entities, community groups, unions and businesses to increase the public's understanding of their employment rights and to better identify potentially noncompliant employers.
For more information or to file a complaint about an employer's practices, please call the Workplace Rights Hotline at 1-844-740-5076 or use the complaint form.
See a recap of significant Workplace Rights Actions
Filing a Workplace Rights Complaint
- The Workplace Rights Bureau of the Attorney General's Office investigates and litigates cases involving serious or persistent wage law violations or other significant employment practices, file a complaint about an employer's practices below.
Deferred Action Statement of Interest Requests
On January 13, 2023, the U.S. Department of Homeland Security announced that noncitizen workers who witness or are victims of violations of labor rights can access an expedited deferred process that would protect them temporarily from deportation, known as deferred action.
Requests for deferred action submitted through this centralized process must include a Statement of Interest from a federal, state, or local labor agency, such as the Attorney General’s Workplace Rights Bureau. Through the Statement of Interest, the agency asks the U.S. Department of Homeland Security to consider granting deferred action to workers employed by companies identified as having disputes related to labor laws that fall under its jurisdiction.
The Fact Sheet on Deferred Action Statement of Interest Requests answers many of the questions about the deferred action process and how the Attorney General’s Workplace Right’s Bureau can assist.
Below are answers to frequently asked questions about Deferred Action Statement of Interest or you can download the information as a PDF.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is deferred action?
Deferred action refers to the use of discretion by the U.S. Department of Homeland Security to defer deportation of a noncitizen for a specific period of time. Although deferred action does not give a noncitizen lawful immigration status or excuse any past or future periods of unlawful presence, a noncitizen granted deferred action is considered lawfully present in the United States for certain limited purposes until the deferred action expires. If granted deferred action, a noncitizen may be eligible for employment authorization. The U.S. Department of Homeland Security can terminate deferred action at any time at its discretion.
When will the Attorney General's office consider issuing a Statement of Interest in support of request for deferred action?
The Attorney General's office will consider issuing a Statement of Interest in support of requests for deferred action on a case-by-case basis when the following conditions are met:
- The request relates to an employer under investigation by the Attorney General's office, and
- There is reason to believe that the fear of immigration-related retaliation or immigration enforcement would deter workers from cooperating with the Attorney General's office on an investigation.
How do I submit a request for a Statement of Interest?
To request a Statement of Interest in support of a deferred action request, send an email to statementofinterest@ilag.gov. The Attorney General’s Office will review the information and will consider the request relating to employers under investigation by the Workplace Rights Bureau.
What should a Request for a Statement of Interest include?
Requests for a Statement of Interest should include:
- The name and address of the employer engaged in labor violations;
- The address of the employer and any worksites where alleged violations occurred; and
- Contact information of the requester, including a telephone number, so that the Workplace Rights Bureau can follow up and gather more information relating to the request and alleged violations of the labor law.
Is there anything that should not be included in the Request for a Statement of Interest?
To better protect workers, the request for a Statement of Interest should not include the following information:
- Individual workers immigration history or current immigration status;
- The names of individual workers facing retaliation or enforcement; and
- Personally identifiable information including dates of birth, social security numbers, or lien registration numbers.
Does the issuance of a Statement of Interest by the Attorney General’s office mean the Attorney General has requested deferred action on my behalf?
No. The Statements of Interest issued by the Attorney General support an individual’s request for deferred action to the U.S. Department of Homeland Security. Individuals seeking deferred action must file this request on their own and would benefit from the advice of an immigration law expert to determine if seeking deferred action is the right move.
Labor Law Unit
The Attorney General's Labor Law Unit is responsible for litigating cases referred from the Illinois Department of Labor concerning violations of the Illinois Minimum Wage Law, Illinois Prevailing Wage Law, Illinois Wage Payment and Collection Act and Employee Classification Act. The Attorney General's Labor Law Unit also enforces the Illinois Department of Labor's administrative subpoenas.
Labor Law Unit, General Law Bureau
Office of the Illinois Attorney General
James R. Thompson Center
100 W. Randolph Street
Chicago, IL 60601