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Disability Rights
Illinois law protects you from discrimination based on disability. Whether you need a workplace accommodation, accessible housing, modifications to your living space, or equal access to services, you have the right to request them and receive equal treatment.
What you'll find here:
Examples of discrimination, where you are protected, how to request accommodations, and how to file a claim.
⏱ Reading time: 12 minutes
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Table of contents
Learn What Discrimination Looks Like
Examples of disability discrimination in housing, work, and services
Do You Want to File a Charge?
Find out how to file and what to expect.
What the Law Covers
Know your protections in employment, housing, healthcare, and public spaces
Understanding Accommodations and Modifications
Learn what you can request and who pays
How to Request Accommodations
Step-by-step guidance for making requests.
Special Protections
Assistance animals, accessible parking, and housing rights
What IDHR Cannot Do
Learn our limits so you can find the right help.
Learn What Discrimination Looks Like
Illinois law makes it illegal to discriminate against you because of your disability.
Protected Characteristics Include
Sexual orientation (including heterosexuality, homosexuality, and bisexuality)
Gender identity (including transgender, nonbinary, and gender nonconforming identities)
Your gender identity may or may not match the sex you were assigned at birth.
Note:
- Both apparent and non-apparent disabilities (invisible disabilities like chronic pain, mental health conditions, learning disabilities) are protected equally under the law.
- You are protected if you are recovering from substance or alcohol abuse, though current abuse is not covered by fair housing laws.
Discrimination examples
Discrimination can happen in ways that are obvious or hidden. These real examples can help you tell when your rights have been violated.
At Work:
Your employer refuses to allow you to use assistive technology or denies a flexible schedule for medical appointments.
In Housing:
A landlord denies your request to install grab bars or refuses to assign you an accessible parking space.
In Healthcare:
A facility refuses to provide documents in accessible format or denies you service because of your assistance animal.
In Schools:
A school prohibits you from using accessible facilities or denies access to assistive technology.
In Financial Services:
A lender denies your credit application based on disability-related gaps in employment history.
Retaliation:
Your lease is not renewed or your hours are reduced after you request an accommodation.
Do You Want to File a Charge?
If you have faced discrimination based on your disability, here is what you should know.
Before you file:
- You must file within a specific timeframe
- You can usually file against both the individual harasser and the employer or institution
- Filing is free
- You do not need a lawyer
What happens when you file:
We review your claim to see if it falls under the Illinois Human Rights Act
If accepted, we investigate by gathering information from all parties
We may attempt to resolve the matter through mediation or settlement
If not resolved, your case may proceed to a hearing
We will draft a charge for your signature if:
- Your allegations are covered under the Act
- We have jurisdiction over the employer
- You file within the required timeframe
Retaliation is Illegal
It is unlawful to retaliate against or intimidate any person for:
- Reporting discrimination
- Participating in an investigation through IDHR
- Reporting discriminatory practices to a housing provider or other authority
If you believe you have experienced retaliation, contact IDHR immediately to file a claim.
What the Law Covers
Under Illinois law, employers, landlords, lenders, businesses, healthcare providers, and schools cannot treat you unlawfully because of your disability.
Employment
The law covers: All employers with one or more employees for certain violations, otherwise 15 or more employees
And protects you from discrimination in: Hiring, firing, job duties, pay, benefits, and promotions. You have the right to a workplace free from discrimination and to reasonable accommodations.
Housing
The law covers: Landlords, property managers, sellers, and lending institutions
And protects your from discrimination in: Renting, buying, or seeking financing. This includes refusing to rent or sell, offering unequal terms, or denying accommodation requests.
Financial Credit
The law covers: Banks and other lenders
And protects your from discrimination in: Applications for credit, loans, or financial services. They must offer you the same terms as others with similar financial profiles.
Public Accommodations
The law covers: Businesses, restaurants, hotels, stores, entertainment venues, gyms, and government services
And protects you from discrimination in: Denying you equal access or treating you differently because of your disability.
Healthcare
The law covers: Medical providers, hospitals, and insurance companies
And protects your from discrimination in: Care treatment – including refusing to treat you, providing unequal treatment, or denying coverage because of your disability.
Education
The law covers: Schools, universities, educational programs
And protects your from discrimination in: Access to facilities, assistive technology, equal participation in activities, and protection from harassment.
Understanding Accommodations and Modifications
Reasonable Accommodations are changes to rules, policies, or services that provide equal access.
Examples include:
- Reserved accessible parking
- Documents in alternate formats (large print, Braille, electronic)
- Permission for assistance animals in no-pets buildings
- Flexible work schedule
- Extra time to complete tasks
Reasonable Modifications are structural changes to property that provide equal access.
Examples include:
- Installing grab bars in bathrooms
- Widening doorways for wheelchair access
- Installing ramps to entrances
- Lowering countertops or cabinet handles
- Installing chair lifts or stairway lifts
How to Request Accommodations
You can request an accommodation at any time—during applications, when signing a lease, during tenancy or employment, or during eviction or termination.
You do not need special language or forms.
Requests can be made
- Orally (in person or by phone)
- In writing (letter, email, text)
- On a form (if provided, but not required)
- Through a family member or advocate
You do not need to:
- Use specific phrases like "reasonable accommodation"
- Mention specific laws
- Follow a formal procedure
What happens after you request:
The provider must work with you through "the interactive process" - a conversation to understand your needs and find solutions.
Providers must:
1. Respond in a timely manner (delays may be denials)
2. Provide an anticipated response timeline
3. Discuss your needs and possible solutions
4. Keep information about your disability confidential
Documentation: If your disability and need are apparent, no documentation is needed. If not apparent, providers may request a letter from a medical professional about how the accommodation relates to your disability. They cannot ask for a specific diagnosis or your full medical history.
Who Pays & What's Required
Accommodations: Generally no cost to you. If there is a cost, the provider typically pays. Providers cannot charge fees for accommodations.
Assistance Animals: Providers cannot charge pet fees, deposits, or rent. If the animal causes damage beyond normal wear and tear, the provider may seek recovery as they would for any resident's damage.
Modifications:
General rule: You pay for modifications
Exception: If the provider receives federal financial assistance, they must pay (unless undue burden)
Restoration: Providers can require you to restore the unit at move-out only if reasonable and the modification would affect future residents
What Makes a Request Reasonable
An accommodation must be granted unless it:
- Imposes an undue financial and administrative burden, OR
- Fundamentally alters the basic operation or nature of services
Providers cannot deny requests because:
- It would violate their rules (accommodations are exceptions)
- They fear others will want similar accommodations
- It might affect aesthetics or property values
- You already received an accommodation (you may need more)
Special Protections
Assistance Animals
Assistance animals perform tasks or provide emotional support to lessen the effect of a disability. They are not pets.
Key details:
Assistance animals can be any type of animal
There are no size, weight, or breed restrictions based on speculation
You do not need certification or training
There is no limit to number if disability-related need exists
Your assistance animal must be vaccinated and housebroken
Providers cannot:
Charge pet fees, deposits, or rent
Require liability insurance
Deny based on breed alone
Deny based on other residents' allergies without evidence of actual direct threat
Parking Accommodations
If parking is offered, reasonable accommodations must be made. Some need formal accessible spaces, others need reserved spaces near entrances. A disabled parking placard issued by the Illinois Secretary of State is usually sufficient to demonstrate need.
Live-in Aides and Transfers
Providers may need to make exceptions to occupancy rules for live-in aides. You may request transfer to a different unit or early lease termination as an accommodation.
Housing Type Considerations
- Public Housing and Federally Funded Housing: The provider must pay for modifications (unless undue burden). Applicants who need accessible units get the next available unit.
- Condominium and Cooperative Associations: Must grant reasonable accommodations and modifications. Associations must respond in a timely manner.
- Municipalities and Zoning: Must make exceptions to ordinances and zoning restrictions when needed for people with disabilities.
What IDHR Cannot Do
We want to be clear about what falls outside our jurisdiction so you can find the right help.
We cannot investigate:
Federal government employment – Federal employees must contact the appropriate federal civil rights office.
General disputes not based on discrimination – Complaints about services or policies that are not based on disability discrimination.
Building code violations – Contact your local building inspector or code enforcement office.
General landlord-tenant disputes – May require a tenant rights organization or attorney.
Medical malpractice – Requires a medical malpractice attorney.
Criminal conduct – If you experience assault, threats, or other criminal behavior, contact law enforcement immediately by calling 911.
Matters outside Illinois – IDHR enforces Illinois law.
Cases outside our legal authority
If we cannot investigate your situation, that does not mean what happened was okay. It means your case may fall under a different law or agency. We will do our best to point you in the right direction.
Guidance & Publications
- Reasonable Accommodations and Modifications
A Guide for Housing Professionals
Funding for Home Modifications
Related Topics
Public Accommodations
Your right to equal access in stores, services, restaurants, facilities, public restrooms, and other public spaces.
Housing
Your rights to equal opportunity housing and commercial real estate, and related services, including real estate agents, mortgages, and appraisals.