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State Senator Dale Fowler: 'Illinois workers now have a new way to recover unpaid wages'

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State Senator Dale Fowler | SenatorFowler.com

State Senator Dale Fowler | SenatorFowler.com

State Senator Dale Fowler announced a recent development regarding unpaid wages in a Facebook post dated November 29. He said, "A recent change in state law allows IDOL to transfer unclaimed wages to the Treasurer’s Office after three years if workers cannot be located."

"Illinois workers now have a new way to recover unpaid wages thanks to a collaboration between the Illinois State Treasurer's Office and the Illinois Department of Labor," said Fowler, State Representative, according to Facebook. "A recent change in state law allows IDOL to transfer unclaimed wages to the Treasurer's Office after three years if workers cannot be located. These funds are added to the Treasurer's Unclaimed Property Trust Fund, enabling workers to search for their money on the I-CASH website."

According to WCIA, on November 19, the Illinois Department of Labor (IDOL) and the State Treasurer's office collaborated on this initiative. A legislative change last year permits individuals owed unpaid wages to claim them through the state's I-Cash website. The process can begin with a wage theft investigation by the Department of Labor (DOL), during which workers' information may change, making them difficult to locate by the time investigations conclude. Additionally, wage audits by IDOL may reveal underpayments for workers unaware they are owed money.


Screenshot of Sen. Dale Fowler's Nov. 29 Facebook post | State Senator Dale Fowler's Facebook page

Frerichs expressed gratitude for this collaboration, stating, "Hard-working people in Illinois deserve to be paid for their labor. We are thankful to team up with the Illinois Department of Labor, Sen. Peters, and Rep. Evans on a common-sense solution."

WCIA reported that if an individual is owed money after three years, IDOL can now transfer those funds to the I-Cash website, enabling individuals to check whether they are owed money. Since September, the Secretary of State’s office has received recovered unpaid wages from IDOL, adding at least 25 people to the unclaimed property database.

Jane Flanagan emphasized IDOL's mission: "Ensuring workers are paid what they’re owed is at the core of the Illinois Department of Labor’s mission. These updates to the law not only extend the timeframe during which the Department can try to locate a worker who is owed unpaid wages, they also provide workers with a new tool to track down money that may be owed to them."

Individuals can visit the I-Cash website via the Secretary of State's office website and follow prompts to determine if they have unclaimed funds in the state's unclaimed property trust fund or check their claim status.

Fowler represents constituents from Illinois' 59th Senate District. His official biography notes his prior role as mayor of Harrisburg before joining the state senate. Currently serving as a business development officer for People’s National Bank in Harrisburg since retiring from the Illinois Department of Juvenile Justice in 2012, Fowler has also held positions as city commissioner and Saline County Board member. Additionally, he chairs Midland Institute’s Saline County CEO program focused on youth entrepreneurial education.

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