Agencies
Services
All Illinois residents have a right to reproductive autonomy, including freedom from discrimination based on pregnancy, childbirth, and pregnancy-related conditions. This guidance, issued in partnership with the Office of the Illinois Attorney General, outlines protections, examples, and means of filing a complaint under Illinois law. Access the complete guidance online or read and download the guidance and press release.
Guidance - Legal
What's on this page? Expand the items below to read details and access links for these non-regulatory guidances issued by the IDHR Legal Department.
If you have questions about published guidance not found here, contact IDHR via the Department's online contact form.
Non-Regulatory Guidance from IDHR
December 2021: IDHR announces the release of non-regulatory guidance on non-discrimination protections for transgender, nonbinary and gender non-conforming students under the Illinois Human Rights Act (Act). The new guidance document was developed based on a recommendation from the Affirming and Inclusive Schools Task Force. School districts, students and their families will now have a resource to better understand the protections afforded by the Act that ensure welcoming, safe, supportive, and inclusive school environments for all.
UPDATE, Jan, 2023: Access, read, and download the guidance or press release from the IDHR website, now more accessible and mobile-friendly!
This guidance affirms and supplements the State of Illinois' April 10, 2020 Guidance Relating to Non-Discrimination in Medical Treatment for Novel Coronavirus 2019 (COVID-19). Federal and State civil rights laws, including the Illinois Human Rights Act, prohibit discrimination in the delivery of healthcare and support the rendering of ethical, non-discriminatory decisions. These principles have equal and ever-important application in the context of administering the COVID-19 vaccine.
Read and download the full guidance here.
Access the guidance in these languages: Polish, Spanish, or Chinese
Federal and Illinois law require employers to maintain a safe and healthy workplace. As Illinois continues through the Restore Illinois plan and regional mitigation measures, employers and employees are navigating difficult questions about how to maintain a safe and healthy workplace during the COVID-19 pandemic. COVID-19 also has raised other employment-related questions involving issues such as pay and benefits, leave, and eligibility for unemployment insurance.
This guidance is intended to help both employers and employees educate themselves about minimum required workplace safety requirements, as well as best practices to promote a safe and well-functioning workplace during the COVID-19 pandemic, and to provide guidance on some frequently asked questions about COVID-19 and the workplace.
Download the Updated Guidance on Workers' Rights Safety for more information.
On June 12, 2020, the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) announced it will remove the explicit nondiscrimination protections for transgender individuals and other vulnerable populations under the Affordable Care Act (ACA). This rule creates confusion about the right of everyone in the LGBTQ+ community, and specifically transgender individuals, to receive healthcare free from discrimination. The IDHR, coordinating with the Illinois Department of Healthcare and Family Services, and the Illinois Department of Insurance, released guidance that clarifies the 2020 Final Rule's impact on residents of Illinois, identifies the protections from discrimination that exist in State law, and reminds the healthcare community of their ongoing obligations to deliver healthcare services in a non-discriminatory manner. Read and download the complete guidance in English.
Access this guidance in the following languages: Polish, Spanish, Chinese
Additionally, the IDHR released Guidance Relating to Non-discrimination in Medical Treatment for COVID-19. Read and download the full guidance in English.
Access the guidance in the following languages: Polish, Spanish, Chinese