Know Your Rights

Laws passed by the City of Chicago, Cook County, and the State of Illinois protect individuals with prior conviction histories from being discriminated against by employers, landlords or real estate agents, and ensure that returning residents are able to exercise their right to vote. This page outlines what to do if you if you believe one of your rights has been violated.

The Illinois Human Rights Act and the Chicago Human Rights Ordinance both protect a person from being discharged, disciplined, denied employment during the hiring process, or denied promotions, because of a conviction record without notice and an interactive assessment of whether there is a substantial relationship between the conviction and the job.

The Chicago Commission on Human Relations (CCHR) is responsible for investigating alleged violations of Chicago’s Human Rights and Fair Housing Ordinances in the areas of employment, housing, public accommodations, and credit.

The Illinois Department of Human Rights (IDHR) administers the Illinois Human Rights Act, which prohibits discrimination in Illinois with respect to employment, financial credit, public accommodations, and real estate transactions. 

If you believe you have been discriminated against by an employer based on your conviction history, you may file a complaint with either the CCHR or IDHR. 

Examples of employment discrimination based on conviction history:

  • After applying for a job, an employer asked you about your conviction history before extending you an offer of employment.
  • An employer declined to offer you a promotion, despite you having met the same standard for promotion as other individuals, because of your conviction history.

Note: Even if the employer did not explicitly state that your conviction history was their rationale for one of the above reactions, but you reasonably believe that it was, you are entitled to file a complaint with the CCHR or IDHR.

On April 25, 2019, the Cook County Board of Commissioners passed an amendment, commonly referred to as the Just Housing Amendment, (Ord. No. 19-2394) to the Cook County Human Rights Ordinance to

  1. Prohibit housing discrimination based on an individual’s covered criminal history; and
  2. Require landlords considering an individual’s covered criminal history to perform an individualized assessment of an otherwise qualified individual’s criminal conviction history prior to denying them any application for housing.

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VOTING AS A RETURNING RESIDENT

Did you know as long as you are not currently serving a sentence, you are eligible to vote in the state of Illinois?

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Who is Eligible to Vote?

In Illinois, you can vote if you are:

  • 18 years or older
  • a U.S. citizen
  • an Illinois resident for at least
    30 days
  • released from jail on parole
    mandatory supervised leave,
    or electronic monitoring
  • charged but not convicted;
    in pre-trial detention

WHO IS NOT ELIGIBLE TO VOTE?

In Illinois, you cannot vote if you are:

  • have been convicted and are
    currently serving a sentence
  • are on furlough/temporary
    leave from a prison or jail
  • are residing in an adult
    transition center (ATC)

VOTING CHECKLIST

  • Eligibility - go through the above criteria to make sure you are eligible to vote. If you are not eligible, do not attempt to register to vote or vote.
  • Voter Registration - you have three options for registering to vote in Illinois, choose the one that works best for you:
    1. In-person: you may register to vote in-person at your polling location or at many public facilities such as Chicago Public Libraries
    2. By mail: applications to register by mail are available at many public and private facilities and available for download at www.elections.il.gov under the “Information for Voters”
      tab, under “Register to Vote"
    3. Online: you may vote online by visiting www.elections.il.gov and selecting “Online Voter Registration”
  • Voting - you have three options for voting in Illinois, choose the one that works best for you:
  1. Election day voting great option for individuals with flexible schedules.
  2. Early voting great option for individuals with inflexible schedules (weekend and evening times available) and first time voters.
  3. Vote by mail great option for individuals with restricted movement or busy schedules.

 

Questions? Visit www.elections.il.gov or call 312.814.6440 and press 4 for voting and registration information

More Information on Where to File Complaints