Employers who try to skip out on paying wages to their workers will face new fines and possible jail time under a measure Gov. Pat Quinn signed into law today.
The law, which goes into effect Jan. 1, establishes a new small claims division in the Illinois Department of Labor where workers could try to recoup wages of $3,000 or less.
Companies found owing pay would be charged a $250 administrative fee, and workers would get a little extra for their inconvenience through a 2 percent penalty that would be assessed for each month an employee did not get a paycheck. If an employer fails to make the payment within 15 days of the department’s ruling, they would then be charged an extra 1 percent fine for each day the payment is outstanding.
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