SPRINGFIELD, Ill. (WAND) — A common call State Senators receive from constituents are employees complaining how they haven't received money from unpaid wages, even after winning in court.
A bill by Illinois Senate Democrats hopes to remove some administrative burden, which has been delaying unpaid wages being sent back to employees on time after winning in court.
The plan is supported by the Illinois Department of Labor, but the Illinois Chamber of Commerce is in opposition, who said it leaves business owners in the dark.
"Attorneys general would give a constructive notice, which means they have to hand deliver a notice to the employer for these allegations," Illinois Chamber spokesperson Kassandra Silva said. "What this bill would do is remove that-where an employer might not even know of this process."
Both the Illinois Chamber and Department of Labor said they talked about this bill before it reached committee, but the Illinois Chamber said they did not seen the bills language during their previous talks.
A few lawmakers found the public disagreement between the two groups question their support for the proposal. State Sen. Michael Halpin (D-Rock Island) said that the current law is protecting employers that are not properly paying their employees.
"We're trying to protect employers that have for months if not years failed to pay their employees," Halpin said. "Employees are out of pocket that money, they're receiving no wages for the time they've actually worked, and this solution gets them to where they are."
Only some Republicans opposed the bill. Those that did oppose said that labor and businesses should be able to work together to craft a bill they both like.
"This used to be the body we could find some common ground and I'm not suggesting it isn't, but it doesn't seem like there was in this case," State Sen. Andrew Chesney (R-Freeport) said.
The proposal passed 15-3 out of committee, where it heads to the Senate floor for further discussion.
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