New law may reinstate licenses for Illinois health care workers banned due to felonies | Courtesy of Shutterstock
New law may reinstate licenses for Illinois health care workers banned due to felonies | Courtesy of Shutterstock
Health care workers and applicants previously barred from employment due to criminal convictions are again eligible for licensure in Illinois.
A new law partially rescinds a 2011 law that automatically revoked or denied licenses for some health care workers previously convicted of felonies. The new law puts a review process in place for industry workers like pharmacists, doctors and social workers, who were previously affected by the old law.
Health care workers eligible for review can present information proving they have been rehabilitated from their previous convictions.
The Illinois Department of Financial and Professional Regulation (IDFPR) will review petitions for licensure on a case-by-case basis. In some cases, there may still be barriers to obtaining licensure.
Some of the things the IDFPR will consider in their determinations are the seriousness of offense, voluntary remedial actions and prior disciplinary history.
Those previously banned or denied licensure can file petitions for review to prove rehabilitation, while first-time applicants for licenses must submit an application before filing a petition for review.
Both previous and new health care workers must meet licensing requirements, such as proof of competency and completion of forms and fingerprinting.
For more information on the IDFPR and the review process, visit www.idfpr.com.
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