SPRINGFIELD — Legislation prohibiting employer discrimination based on family obligations has passed the Senate and is one step closer to becoming law, thanks to efforts from State Senator Natalie Toro.

“Why should employees be punished for their family responsibilities if they have demonstrated that they do not impact their work performance?” said Toro (D-Chicago). “Working parents and family caregivers deserve to be treated the same as their colleagues without family responsibilities, especially when employers are making hiring decisions. I am glad this measure will protect employees from unfair treatment and empower people with family responsibilities to achieve success in their careers.”

Under current law, workplace discrimination based on gender, race, sexuality and other characteristics is prohibited, but does not explicitly protect people with family obligations. Family obligations include providing care for a family member, such as young children, older adults and people with disabilities. This means that prospective employees with children can currently be passed up for job opportunities in favor of applicants without children or family caregiving obligations because caregivers are an unprotected class.

SPRINGFIELD —State Senator Natalie Toro’s legislation requiring officers to go through autism-informed responses in their training passed the Senate, making it one step closer to becoming law.

“Law enforcement need to be aware of the unique communication challenges people with autism may have, especially in a more stressful situation like having an encounter with a police officer, and how that may make them appear noncompliant,” said Toro (D-Chicago). “By mandating autism sensitivity training, we are ensuring police have a deeper understanding of how to best engage with people with disabilities in their community and prevent misunderstandings that could turn tragic.”

While people with autism may be able to manage their communication differences or behavioral challenges with supports at school, work, or in their daily lives, they may experience unique challenges when interacting with police. Without proper training on how some people with autism communicate, law enforcement may interpret their behavior as being noncompliant with questioning or instructions. This has caused interactions between law enforcement and individuals with autism to escalate quickly, resulting in unnecessary use of force, trauma or death.

SPRINGFIELD — To safeguard working moms, caregivers and others from being overlooked in hiring decisions because of their responsibilities outside of work, State Senator Natalie Toro is championing legislation aimed at prohibiting employer discrimination based on family obligations.

“It is extremely unfair for employers to decide that someone cannot fulfill their duties because they have family obligations, with no proof that this has or would interfere with their capability to be a good employee,” said Toro (D-Chicago). “This gap in the Human Rights Act has allowed many Illinoisans to miss out on major career opportunities because of employers’ biases, and it is long past time to take a stand against these labor practices.” 

Currently, the Human Rights Act prohibits discrimination in the workplace based on gender, race, sexuality and other characteristics, but does not protect people with family obligations. Family obligations include providing care for a family member, including young children, older adults and people with disabilities. This means if two employees of the same gender — one with a young child — vie for the same promotion and the employer selects the employee without children, citing concerns about time off for parenting duties, they will not be charged with discrimination because family obligations are an unprotected class.

SPRINGFIELD — To reduce the risk of unnecessary violent confrontations between law enforcement and people with autism, State Senator Natalie Toro introduced legislation requiring officers to go through autism-informed responses in their training.

“Having an encounter with law enforcement can be nerve-wracking for anyone, but for people with behavioral disabilities like autism, it can be even more confusing and anxiety-provoking,” said Toro (D-Chicago). “It is important for law enforcement to know how to best approach and engage with autistic individuals to minimize fear and actually have a productive conversation.”

While people with autism may be able to manage their communication differences or behavioral challenges with supports at school, work or in their daily lives, they may experience unique challenges when interacting with the police. Without proper training on how some people with autism communicate, law enforcement may interpret their behavior as being noncompliant with questioning or instructions. This has caused interactions between law enforcement and autistic individuals to escalate quickly, resulting in unnecessary use of force, trauma or death.