Effective January 1, 2026, Illinois HB1278 will expand the Victims’ Economic Security and Safety Act (VESSA) to prohibit employers from disciplining or retaliating against employees for using employer-issued electronic devices to record acts of domestic violence, sexual violence, gender violence, or other violent crimes committed against themselves or a family or household member.
Key Provisions
Under the updated law, employers are not allowed to refuse to hire someone, fire them, treat them unfairly, or retaliate against them just because they use work-provided tools to record a violent crime.
Employers also cannot take away or block access to work devices simply because an employee used or tried to use them to document such an incident.
If an employee uses their work-issued equipment in this way, they must be allowed to keep access to the device and any recordings or information stored on it.
These rules protect employees whether violent incidents happen to them personally or to someone in their household or family.
Next Steps for Employers
To comply with the law, employers should review and update existing electronic device policies, particularly around personal use, and restrictions. Human resources and managers should ensure that internal procedures do not penalize employees for using employer-issued devices to record or preserve evidence of violence. Training should be provided for human resource staff and managers on employee rights under VESSA, including this new provision.
