Illinois Warehouse Worker Protection Act heading to Pritzker's desk

SPRINGFIELD, Ill. (WAND) — A bill heading to Gov. JB Pritzker's desk could strengthen protections for Illinois warehouse workers. Sponsors believe warehouses can have efficiency without exploitation.

Amazon is one of the most prominent companies in the United States that has been caught forcing warehouse workers to meet unrealistic standards on a daily basis.

Sen. Celina Villanueva — Sponsors believe warehouses can have efficiency without exploitation.

The Illinois Warehouse Worker Protection Act could require warehouse employers to provide written descriptions of any quota and adverse employment action on a worker's hiring date. Employers would also be forced to provide updated descriptions of quota changes within five business days of any change.

"What it's going to do is allow workers an opportunity to not have to basically use the bathroom in a bottle because they're so concerned with making sure that they're meeting the quota that they were just told that morning when they walked into the warehouse," said Sen. Celina Villanueva (D-Chicago).

"It's making sure that people actually have the time to walk over to the restroom and not be concerned that there's going to be adverse action to do that," Villanueva said. "Or actually eating lunch. We're trying to protect workers in the state of Illinois."

However, Republicans are worried this change could impact 750,000 companies across the country. Sen. Seth Lewis (R-Bartlett) said the plan could make Illinois less attractive for companies and impact people currently working in warehouses.

"Working at a QuikTrip in the back room is entry level," Lewis said. "Working at Cardinal Health, distributing things on the warehouse or distribution line, those are your entry level jobs. This legislation is going to threaten those businesses from either coming or expanding in our state."

House GOP leaders are also concerned that Democrats are allowing the Illinois Department of Labor to introduce rules at a later date to address monetary caps and guidelines for legal action rather than spelling everything out in the legislation.

"What you're doing is giving an administrative agency sort of carte blanche to be able to provide rulemaking that may fit the needs of the employee as opposed to giving the employer an opportunity to understand what is going in," said Rep. Steve Reick (R-Woodstock).

The measure also changes the standard of evidence from a preponderance of evidence to a rebuttable presumption.

"That language follows with what we've seen with the implementation of this law across the country," said Rep. Kevin Olickal (D-Skokie). "We're talking about a higher standard to protect against retaliation of workers who speak up about job conditions."

New York, California and Minnesota have passed similar plans.

House Bill 2547 passed out of the Senate on a 35-15 vote Sunday. State representatives approved the plan on a 79-34 vote Tuesday.