SPRINGFIELD – Continuing his advocacy for immigrant employees following the governor’s veto of Senate Bill 1515 earlier this summer, State Senator Javier Cervantes brought forth a new plan that would protect marginalized workers and give employees time to correct employment verification document discrepancies before an enforcement action is taken against them.

“Throughout my years working alongside labor and health care organizations, I have seen employees hurt by this process,” said Cervantes (D-Chicago). “In working with the governor’s office and advocacy groups, we are confident we have come up with a plan that will protect employees and work for everyone involved in the verification process.”

Currently, federal immigration law requires employers to verify the legal work status of their employees through the E-Verify system. E-Verify compares information from an employee’s I-9 Form to records available to the Department of Homeland Security and the Social Security Administration to confirm eligibility. If discrepancies are found, immigrant workers have the possibility of receiving a “no match” letter for a variety of reasons, including instances where the individual changed their name due to marriage. Many employers terminate employees who receive this notice, even though they could be legally working in the United States.

Senate Bill 508 would prevent employers from imposing work authorization verification requirements that are greater than those required by federal law and give employees time to correct documentation discrepancies. The new legislation would require employers, upon finding a discrepancy in verification information, to notify the employee that the federal or State agency has notified the employer and the time period the employee has to contest the information. The employee would be given an explanation of the discrepancy and retain the right to have a representative present for meetings related to employment verification. Employers would be barred from taking any adverse action against the employee based on the notification.

Senate Bill 508 would also require employers to notify each employee of upcoming inspections of employment records from federal entities such as U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement within five business days of the employer receiving notice – both in English and any language commonly used in the workplace. Upon receipt of the results of an employment records inspection, employees would retain the right to correct discrepancies within a designated time period and the right to have a representative present during any meetings with the employer.

“I am passionate about protecting folks who work and live legally in Illinois and follow all the rules to ensure their right to work,” Cervantes said. “Advancing this legislation marks a significant step toward protecting employees working legally in Illinois who may be fearful of their job security.”

SPRINGFIELD – State Senator Javier Cervantes announced that the Illinois Department of Public Health has awarded more than $175,000 to Cicero School District 99 to support post-pandemic child and adolescent health.

“During and after the pandemic, our youth have had a hard time readjusting to everyday learning and school environments,” said Cervantes (D-Chicago). “This funding will help communities like ours combat the mental health crisis in our schools and ensure kids across Illinois get the help they need to succeed.”

The grant – funded primarily from the CDC’s COVID-19 Public Health Workforce Supplemental Funding program – is intended to help schools and local agencies improve student care through workforce enhancements, developing frameworks to prevent adverse childhood experiences, interventions to assist children suffering from trauma, and training for medical and school staff to expand adolescent mental health resources.

Projects funded through the program incorporate a diverse set of strategies to strengthen mental health services for students across Illinois. These include developing student support programs and offering specialized curriculums in areas like stress management and nutrition; providing mental health training, education and support for teachers and all school personnel;

CHICAGO – State Senator Javier Loera Cervantes released the following statement after the recent strike by the United Auto Workers seeking pay increases, shorter workweeks and improvements to retiree plans:

“The United Auto Workers are seeking to improve the value given to their labor. More than a decade ago they sacrificed pay and benefits to help the automakers stay afloat. Now its time for those workers to share in the success they help create.

“As a career advocate for workers’ rights, I will continue to support groups like the United Auto Workers in their fight for fair wages and better working conditions. Working people are standing in solidarity, with inflation and cost-of-living pressures at an all-time high, leveraging this power has never been more urgent.

“I support the United Auto Workers in their fight. Autoworkers in Toledo, OH, Wayne, MI, and the rest of the Midwest, are not just fighting for themselves, but for working class people across this country. I will continue to support our working class families in Illinois to make sure their voices are heard.”

CHICAGO – With support from State Senator Javier Cervantes, residents of the 1^st District have received over $400,000 in claims returns from the Illinois Treasurer’s Unclaimed Property Money Match program, which returns unclaimed property to constituents automatically without the need to file a claim.

“This is an amazing program that has brought tangible funds to the residents of Chicago they never knew they had,” said Cervantes (D-Chicago). “I encourage residents to keep an eye out for mail in the upcoming months as more Money Match letters are sent out.”

The Money Match program enables the treasurer’s office to work with the Illinois Department of Revenue, the Illinois State Board of Elections and the Illinois Secretary of State to find accurate mailing addresses for rightful owners of unclaimed property. The office then confirms an owner’s address and sends a letter to the individual to make them aware that a check is coming in the mail so they know that the check is legitimate.

Letters to residents whose claims meet the requirements for Money Match will continue to go out over the next several months. The treasurer’s office began mailing Money Match notification letters this month and expects to return more than $47 million in unclaimed property to approximately 66,000 individuals.