Illinois

Key facts

EEOC filing deadline

300 days (FEPA work-sharing state)

State agency deadline

300 days to IDHR

Employer coverage

1 or more employees

State law

Illinois Human Rights Act (IHRA)

State court statute of limitations

2 years

Additional protections beyond federal law

• •Sexual orientation
• •Gender identity
• •Marital status
• •Order of protection status
• •Military status
• •Unfavorable military discharge
• •Arrest record (not convictions)
• •Immigration ancestry

How it works

Illinois has a work-sharing agreement with the EEOC. A charge filed with Illinois Department of Human Rights is generally also considered filed with the EEOC ("dual-filed"), and vice versa. You usually only need to file once.

Key notes

Illinois's one-employee threshold and broad additional classes make state-law claims highly valuable here. The Illinois Human Rights Act also covers unpaid interns and contractors in addition to employees. Chicago and Cook County have their own local ordinances that may provide additional protections.