Protections and Incentives for Illinois Whistleblowers

Protections and Incentives for Illinois Whistleblowers August 3rd, 2018 Uncategorized | Tags: Illinois immigration, immigration compliance, immigration law, whistleblower | No Comments »It was just a little more than two years ago that the Illinois legislature expanded the protections and incentives available to whistleblowers in the State of Illinois, making it precarious to fire a whistleblower and lucrative for the whistleblower to report his or her employer for violations of law.Given the increasing complexity of immigration law, the recent changes in regulations, and the hostile attitudes of some employees toward foreign workers, it is more likely than ever that an employee could report an employer for suspected immigration violations.That is why it is crucial now for Illinois employers to be sure that all of their “i’s” are dotted and all of their “t’s” are crossed with respect to immigration forms and immigration compliance.The Illinois Whistleblower Protection Act not only protects people from getting fired for reporting fraud, it also gives them a 30 percent “bounty” on all money recovered by the government as a result of the whistleblower’s actions.Among its many provisions, the Act also states that any person who “knowingly takes adverse employment action against an employee for disclosing information to a government or law enforcement agency, if the employee has reasonable cause to believe the information discloses a violation of State or federal law, rule or regulation” can be held liable for a civil penalty of $5,500 to $11,000 per offense, plus three times the amount of damage the State suffers due to that offense, plus the costs of any action to recover any penalty or damages.If you have questions about the proper completion of immigration forms, the interpretation of complex immigration rules, or the training of employees charged with immigration compliance, do not hesitate to contact us at (847) 564-0712.