The Illinois Department of Labor (IDOL) issued its 2024 Labor Day Report, marking the occasion by honoring the essential roles workers play throughout the state. The report underscores the department's daily efforts to protect the rights, wages, and safety of those who toil in varied industries – the backbone that keeps the community thriving.

In the words of IDOL Director Jane Flanagan, "Each year on Labor Day, the Illinois Department of Labor recognizes the critical importance of all workers to our communities and recommits itself to safeguarding workers' core rights, including the rights to be paid promised wages, provided basic meal and rest breaks and days off, and to come home safely at the end of the day." These comments, putting safety and fairness at the forefront, were revealed in a statement obtained by the Illinois government's news release.

The annual report details IDOL's triumphs in advocating for the workforce, showcasing various cases attended to by its staff. Additionally, the outreach programs mentioned in the report bring the department's services directly to communities in which the need is greatest, languishing without knowledge of their rights and protections under the law.

Of particular significance in this year's report is the focus on the state's immigrant population, a group often left vulnerable to exploitation in the labor market. In response, working alongside community organizations in Chicago, IDOL has conducted over 30 presentations to help educate more than 1,000 individuals about the state labor laws that protect them.