Sec. 15. Purposes.

337 words·~2 min read·/il/chapter-820/act-180/15

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Sec. 15. Purposes. The purposes of this Act are:

(1)to promote the State's interest in reducing domestic violence, dating violence,

sexual assault, gender violence, stalking, and any crime of violence by enabling victims of domestic violence, sexual violence, gender violence, or any crime of violence to maintain the financial independence necessary to leave abusive situations, achieve safety, and minimize the physical and emotional injuries from domestic violence, sexual violence, gender violence, or any crime of violence, and to reduce the devastating economic consequences of domestic violence, sexual violence, gender violence, or any crime of violence to employers and employees;

(2)to address the failure of existing laws to protect the employment rights of

employees who are victims of domestic violence, sexual violence, gender violence, or any crime of violence and employees with a family or household member who is a victim of domestic violence, sexual violence, gender violence, or any crime of violence by protecting the civil and economic rights of those employees, and by furthering the equal opportunity of women for economic self-sufficiency and employment free from discrimination;

(3)to accomplish the purposes described in paragraphs

(1)and

(2)by

(A)entitling

employed victims of domestic violence, sexual violence, gender violence, or any crime of violence and employees with a family or household member who is a victim of domestic violence, sexual violence, gender violence, or any crime of violence to take unpaid leave to seek medical help, legal assistance, counseling, safety planning, and other assistance without penalty from their employers for the employee or the family or household member who is a victim; and

(B)prohibiting employers from discriminating against any employee who is a victim of domestic violence, sexual violence, gender violence, or any crime of violence or any employee who has a family or household member who is a victim of domestic violence, sexual violence, gender violence, or any crime of violence, in a manner that accommodates the legitimate interests of employers and protects the safety of all persons in the workplace.