Pontiac — Part I Ch. 24 Human Relations and Social Services § 24-144

Prohibition on retaliation for reporting for reporting sexual harassment allegation

In Force
Verified 11/10/2026 · Next check 12/10/2026
PontiacFair Housing & Anti-Discrimination

Operative Text

Pontiac — Part I Ch. 24 Human Relations and Social Services § 24-144
(a) No city official, city agency, city employee or city agency or office shall take any retaliatory action against any city employee due to a city employee's:
(1) Disclosure or threatened disclosure of any violation of this policy,
(2) The provision of information related to or testimony before any public body conducting an investigation, hearing or inquiry into any violation of this policy, or
(3) Assistance or participation in a proceeding to enforce the provisions of this policy.
(b) For the purposes of this policy, retaliatory action means the reprimand, discharge, suspension, demotion, denial of promotion or transfer, or change in the terms or conditions of employment of any city employee that is taken in retaliation for a city employee's involvement in protected activity pursuant to this policy.
(c) No individual making a report will be retaliated against even if a report made in good faith is not substantiated. In addition, any witness will be protected from retaliation.
(d) Similar to the prohibition against retaliation contained herein, the State Officials and Employees Ethics Act (5ILCS 430/15-10) provides whistleblower protection from retaliatory action such as reprimand, discharge, suspension, demotion, or denial of promotion or transfer that occurs in retaliation for an employee who does any of the following:
(1) Discloses or threatens to disclose to a supervisor or to a public body an activity, policy, or practice of any officer, member, state agency, or other state employee that the state employee reasonably believes is in violation of a law, rule, or regulation;
(2) Provides information to or testifies before any public body conducting an investigation, hearing, or inquiry into any violation of a law, rule, or regulation by any officer, member, state agency or other state employee; or
(3) Assists or participates in a proceeding to enforce the provisions of the State Officials and Employees Ethics Act.
(e) Pursuant to the Whistleblower Act (740 ILCS 174/15(a)), an employer may not retaliate against an employee who discloses information in a court, an administrative hearing, or before a legislative commission or committee, or in any other proceeding, where the employee has reasonable cause to believe that the information discloses a violation of a state or federal law, rule, or regulation. In addition, an employer may not retaliate against an employee for disclosing information to a government or law enforcement agency, where the employee has reasonable cause to believe that the information discloses a violation of a State or federal law, rule, or regulation. (740 ILCS 174/15(b)).
(f) According to the Illinois Human Rights Act (775 ILCS 5/6-101), it is a civil rights violation for a person, or for two or more people to conspire, to retaliate against a person because he/she has opposed that which he/she reasonably and in good faith believes to be sexual harassment in employment, because he/she has made a charge, filed a complaint, testified, assisted, or participated in an investigation, proceeding, or hearing under the Illinois Human Rights Act.
(g) An employee who is suddenly transferred to a lower paying job or passed over for a promotion after filing a complaint with IDHR or EEOC, may file a retaliation charge - due within 180 days (IDHR) or 300 days (EEOC) of the alleged retaliation.
Source: Legislative text reproduced verbatim
Plain English

Pontiac — Part I Ch. 24 § 24-144 establishes that no city official, agency, or employee may take adverse employment action against a city employee who reports, testifies about, or participates in proceedings related to a sexual harassment policy violation. Protection extends to good-faith reports even when they are ultimately unsubstantiated, and witnesses are also shielded. The provision further notes that parallel protections exist under Illinois state law, including the State Officials and Employees Ethics Act, the Whistleblower Act, and the Illinois Human Rights Act, as well as federal avenues through the EEOC.

Written by anthropic/claude-sonnet-4.6 · Reviewed on November 9, 2026

Plain English — not legal advice.

For Property Managers

This provision, Pontiac — Part I Ch. 24 § 24-144, applies to city officials, agencies, and employees rather than to private residential landlords directly; however, operators who manage city-affiliated housing or employ staff subject to city policy should be aware that retaliatory employment actions — such as demotion, suspension, or denial of promotion — following a harassment-related report are expressly prohibited. Compliant operators generally maintain clear anti-retaliation policies, document employment decisions independently of any complaint activity, and ensure supervisory staff understand that good-faith reports are protected regardless of outcome. Awareness of the overlapping state protections under the Illinois Human Rights Act (775 ILCS 5/6-101) and the Whistleblower Act (740 ILCS 174/15) is also part of a well-informed compliance posture.

General guidance for property managers — not legal advice for your specific situation. Consult an attorney for advice on your case.

For Tenants

For city employees or individuals in a city employment context, § 24-144 of Pontiac's Part I Ch. 24 means that reporting sexual harassment, cooperating with an investigation, or participating in an enforcement proceeding cannot lawfully result in adverse employment consequences. If retaliation does occur — such as a sudden demotion or being passed over for promotion — the provision notes that a charge may be filed with the Illinois Department of Human Rights (IDHR) within 180 days or with the EEOC within 300 days of the alleged retaliatory act. Tenant-rights organizations, legal aid offices, or the IDHR and EEOC directly can provide general information about which avenue may be relevant to a given situation.

General guidance for tenants — not legal advice for your specific situation. Consult a tenant-rights organization or attorney for advice on your case.

Generated November 9, 2026 — auto-generated, not yet human-reviewed. See /transparency for methodology.

Effective Timeline

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References Out

Rules and statutes cited by this regulation

740 ILCS 174
Not yet ingested

References In

Rules and statutes that cite this regulation

IL Muni § 24-120
IL Muni § 24-51
IL Muni § 24-51
IL Muni § 24-83
IL Muni § 24-82
IL Muni § 24-51
IL Muni § 24-53

Related Rules

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§ 5.106 Equal access in accordance with the individual's gender identity in community planning and development programs.
§ 5.109
§ 5.109 Equal participation of faith-based organizations in HUD programs and activities.
§ 2
Policies; recommendations

Source Information

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