Sexual Orientation Charges Under the Illinois Human Rights Act - A Preliminary Analysis of the 'Sexual Orientation' Discrimination Charges Filed in the First Eight Months of the Amended Illinois Statute

Abstract

Discrimination based on sexual orientation became illegal statewide in Illinois on January 1, 2006, when the Illinois Human Rights Act was amended to include sexual orientation. This article published in the Human Rights Newsletter of the Illinois State Bar Association refutes predictions that amending the state statute would lead to an explosion in the number of cases filed before the Illinois Department of Human Rights. To the contrary, the number of cases filed was reasonable and not overwhelming. The article includes a useful illustration of the administrative procedure in a discrimination case.

Keywords: Illinois Human Rights Act, sexual orientation, gender identity, administrative law, Department of Human Rights, Human Rights Commission, human rights