If you are a State employee and you . . . .

• Disclose or threaten to disclose to your supervisor or any public body an act or omission that you reasonably believe to be a violation of law, rule or regulation by another State employee, or
• Provide information to or testify before any public body conducting an investigation, hearing or inquiry into a violation of law, rule, or regulation, or
• Assist or participate in a proceeding to enforce the State Officials and Employees Ethics Act,

Then a State agency cannot take retaliatory action such as . . . .

• Reprimand, discharge, suspension, demotion or denial of promotion or transfer that occurs in retaliation for an employee’s exercise of any one of the three protected activities, above.

Remedies if retaliation occurs may include . . . .

• Employee shall be made whole;
• Reinstatement;
• Two times back pay;
• Interest on back pay; and/or
• Payment of reasonable costs and attorneys’ fees.

The employee would need to pursue a civil action in order to attempt to receive some or all of the remedial relief listed above.

See State Officials and Employees Ethics Act, 5 ILCS 430/15-5 et. seq.

To report fraud waste, abuse or misconduct by State employees or those doing business with the State please contact your State Agency Ethics Officer or call the Office of Executive Inspector General at