Illinois Proposes Groundbreaking Bill: Inmates Could Work Remote Jobs and Earn Real Salaries

A Revolutionary Approach to Remote Work

A newly proposed bill in Illinois could transform the landscape of remote work by allowing incarcerated individuals to hold paid remote jobs while serving their sentences. Illinois Democratic Rep. Kimberly Du Buclet filed Illinois House Bill 4224, which would create a program enabling eligible inmates in the custody of the Illinois Department of Corrections to work for approved businesses and companies remotely.

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Eligibility Requirements for Inmates

To participate in this program, inmates must meet several strict criteria:

• Have received a State of Illinois High School Diploma or an approved exemption
• Have served at least 30 days of their sentence in the facility where they'll work remotely
• Be a general population resident
• Have completed or be actively participating in vocational or educational programs
• Have no disciplinary violations within 90 days of application and no pending reports
• Be eligible to use computers and access the Internet according to Department policy
• Agree to and sign all necessary contracts and terms of conditions

Program Structure and Limitations

The bill specifies that all monetary compensation must be directly deposited by employers into the inmate's Illinois Department of Corrections account. However, the program maintains that "a committed person may be terminated from their remote work employment at any time for any reason at the complete discretion of the Director of Corrections or the facility chief administrative officer."

Who Is Ineligible?

Not all incarcerated individuals would qualify for this program. Significant restrictions apply to those with:

• Convictions involving computer use (financial fraud, cybercrime, identity theft, etc.)
• Prohibitions from accessing the Internet or using electronic devices
• Work involving protected health information under HIPAA
• Access to information from the Illinois Criminal Justice Information Authority
• Sex offense convictions when work involves schools or access to children's information
• Lack of required qualifications for specific positions

Connection to Recent Legislation

Rep. Du Buclet was a co-sponsor of the Bivens Act, which was recently passed and signed into law by Gov. JB Pritzker as part of Illinois House Bill 1312. This new remote work bill represents another step in reforming employment opportunities within the correctional system.

Implementation Timeline

If the bill reaches Gov. Pritzker's desk and is signed into law, all provisions would go into effect on January 1, 2027, giving the Department of Corrections and potential employer partners time to establish the necessary infrastructure and protocols for this innovative program.