Illinois Department of Human Rights

The Illinois Department of Human Rights (IDHR) is the state agency responsible for administrating and enforcing the Illinois Human Rights Act. The mission of IDHR is to secure for all individuals within the State of Illinois freedom from unlawful discrimination and to establish and promote equal opportunity and affirmative action as the policy of this state for all its residents. The Department of Human Rights administers the Illinois Human Rights Act. The Illinois Human Rights Act ("Act") prohibits discrimination in Illinois with respect to employment, financial credit, public accommodations and real estate transactions on the bases of race, color, religion, sex (including sexual harassment), national origin, ancestry, military status, age (40 and over), order of protection status, marital status, sexual orientation (which includes gender-related identity), unfavorable military discharge and physical and mental disability. The Act also prohibits sexual harassment in education, discrimination because of citizenship status and arrest record in employment, and discrimination based on familial status in real estate transactions. A discrimination charge can be initiated by calling, writing or appearing in person at the Department’s Chicago or Springfield office within 180 days of the date the alleged discrimination took place in all cases except housing discrimination (one year filing deadline).