In a, 56 to 0 vote State Senators passed sweeping legislation that criminalizes employers who repeatedly commit wage theft. Sponsored by William Delgado (D-2) and cosponsored by 24 other Senators, SB3568 amends the Illinois Wage Payment Collection Act (IWPCA) to create more protections to workers who currently find themselves in limbo as they attempt to recover wages owed to them by abusive employers. The amendments in SB3568 will deter a large numbers of wage theft cases in the state of Illinois by increasing fines and penalties for violators of the law and by implementing criminal penalties for repeat violators.
 

SB3568 gives the the Illinois Department of Labor the tools and teeth to successfully enforce the law against employers who refuse to pay employees for their work. If the bill passes the House and is signed by Governor Quinn, it will give the Attorney General the power to criminally prosecute repeat offenders. “If someone shoplifts, they can go to jail. When bad employers deprive workers of their wages, they should face time in jail,” said Leone Bicchieri, Executive Director of the Chicago Workers Collaborative. “Criminal sanctions are key to deterring the mounting wave of wage theft that we're seeing,” added Eric Rodriguez, Director the Latino Union of Chicago. (click on link to read full story)