Continuing my deeper dive this week into new laws from the General Assembly, today’s post tackles Public Act 21-69, which goes into effect October 1, 2021.

The law amends existing law by making it a discriminatory practice for an employer or an employer’s agent to request or require an applicant provide their:

• age
• date of birth
• dates of attendance at or date of graduation from an educational institution.

This prohibition applies to an “initial employment application”, suggesting that an employer can ask for this information later on in the hiring process.

Employer can ask for this information on an initial employment application if it is based on a bona fide occupational qualification or need, or when such information is needed to comply with state or federal law.

Employers should immediately revise any job application to ensure that these questions are removed.

This law applies to all employers with three or more employees.