Despite nearly 18% of the Illinois driving-age population not having a driver’s license, many job descriptions still require a driver’s license even if driving is not an essential function of the job, preventing nearly 1.85 million Illinoisans from working a job they could otherwise perform. These requirements then tend to hurt populations who are less likely to have a valid driver’s license, including people with disabilities, people returning home after incarceration, and people who never needed to drive because they used other forms of transportation.

HB 4758 amends the Job Opportunities for Qualified Applicants Act to prevent Illinois employers from including driver’s licenses as a job requirement for positions which do not require driving as an essential function of the job. If driving is a critical part of the job, such as forklift operator or delivery driver, then an employer may require a driver’s license as a condition of employment. Help us reduce barriers to work by asking your Illinois State Representative to support HB 4758! You can send a quick email with the form below.