🌆

Illinois Legal Rights

Illinois has banned salary history questions, mandated pay transparency, and provides strong wage theft protections. Know exactly what you're entitled to — and let Main AI enforce it automatically.

Analyze my Illinois documents free → Security deposit calculator

Tenant rights

Illinois Tenant Protections

💰

Security deposit maximum

No statewide cap (Chicago: none required but must be held in separate account)

Chicago RLTO §5-12-080 (Chicago) · 765 ILCS 710 (statewide)

⏱️

Deposit return deadline

30 days after move-out with itemized deductions. Must include itemized list of any deductions.

Chicago RLTO §5-12-080 (Chicago) · 765 ILCS 710 (statewide)

🔑

Entry notice required

Landlords must give reasonable advance notice before entering your unit except in genuine emergencies. Repeated entry without notice may constitute harassment.

🏠

Habitability rights

Your landlord must maintain heat, hot water, structural safety, and freedom from pests regardless of what your lease says. Most "as-is" clauses are void.

✓ If your landlord violated these rules

Send a certified demand letter with the exact statute violated and amount owed
File in small claims court for deposits (usually up to $10,000-$15,000)
Report habitability violations to your local housing authority
Main AI generates demand letters and court filing summaries automatically

Employment rights

Illinois Workplace Protections

⚖️

Non-compete agreements

Enforceable if reasonable. Illinois Freedom to Work Act (2022) bans non-competes for workers earning under $75,000/yr.

💵

Wage protections

Minimum wage $14/hr (2024), rising to $15 in 2025. Illinois Wage Payment and Collection Act covers all wage theft.

📊

Pay transparency

Yes — Illinois Equal Pay Act requires salary ranges in job postings with 15+ employees.

📋

Severance rights

Severance is never legally required — it's negotiable. Workers 40+ get 21 days to review any waiver of age discrimination claims plus 7 days to revoke (federal OWBPA).

✓ Know before you sign

Never sign a severance agreement without understanding what rights you're waiving
Get any non-compete reviewed before accepting a job offer — they're often negotiable
Wage theft has a statute of limitations — file within 2-3 years
Main AI analyzes your offer letter, NDA, and severance in under 60 seconds

Medical billing rights

Illinois Healthcare Protections

🏥

Itemized bill rights

Illinois Hospital Uninsured Patient Discount Act requires discounts for uninsured patients. No Surprises Act applies. 30-day dispute window.

⚡

Surprise billing protection

The federal No Surprises Act (2022) caps out-of-network emergency bills at in-network rates. You cannot be balance-billed for emergency care or care at in-network facilities without prior written consent.

📝

Dispute window

You typically have 30-120 days from your Explanation of Benefits to dispute a bill. Request itemization and dispute duplicate charges, upcoding, and services never received.

💙

Financial assistance

Nonprofit hospitals must offer charity care programs and cannot charge more than the ACA benchmark amounts to patients who qualify. Always ask before paying.

✓ If your bill looks wrong

Request an itemized bill immediately — they must provide it
Cross-reference CPT codes against your Explanation of Benefits
Dispute duplicate charges and services never received in writing within 30 days
Main AI reads your medical bill and flags every suspicious charge automatically

Common questions

Illinois Rights FAQ

Do I have to sign a non-compete in Illinois?+

If you earn under $75,000/year, your employer cannot legally enforce a non-compete against you under the 2022 Illinois Freedom to Work Act. If you earn more, the agreement must be reasonable in time (typically 1-2 years) and geographic scope.

Can my Illinois employer ask about my salary history?+

No. Illinois law prohibits employers from asking about prior salary history. They also cannot base your pay on prior salary. Violation can be reported to the Illinois Department of Labor.

My Chicago landlord didn't return my deposit. What are my rights?+

Chicago tenants have strong protections under the Chicago Residential Landlord and Tenant Ordinance. Landlords must return deposits within 30 days with itemized deductions. If they fail, you're entitled to 2x the deposit amount.

What wage theft protections does Illinois have?+

The Illinois Wage Payment and Collection Act covers all promised wages. You can file with the IL Department of Labor or sue directly for 2x unpaid wages plus attorney fees. The statute of limitations is 5 years.

Main AI enforces your Illinois rights automatically.

Upload any document — lease, offer letter, medical bill, severance agreement. Main AI reads it, flags every violation, cites the exact Illinois statute, and prepares everything ready to send.

Analyze my documents free →

Free to start · No credit card · Every finding quoted from your document