On January 28, 2022 the Illinois Department of Financial and Professional Regulation adopted amendments to the Administrative Procedures Act (68 IAC 1130; 45 Ill. Reg. 13807 effective 1/28/22) implementing two Public Acts, P.A. 102-308 and 101-0221. These changes impact CPAs’ sexual harassment prevention training continuing education requirements.

The newly adopted amendments now recognize sexual harassment prevention training provided by the licensee’s employer as in accordance with the Illinois Human Rights Act , or any authorized continuing education provider that is providing continuing education in accordance with the Illinois Human Rights Act.

The practicable impact of these amended changes may now allow CPAs to complete annual employer provided sexual harassment prevention training in accordance with the Illinois Human Rights Act to satisfy licensure continuing education requirements.

• Licensed CPAs no longer must complete two mutually exclusive sexual harassment prevention classes (1 hour CPE plus employee training) 

• A licensee may count completion of a course provided by their employer in accordance with the Illinois Human Rights Act towards meeting their total required continuing education hours.

• A person with multiple licenses is only required to take the course once for all licenses and is not required to repeat the course for each license.

• Registered CPAs do not have a continuing education requirement and therefore were not subject to the Sexual Harassment Prevention requirement for CPE purposes for renewal (P.A. 100-762).   This does not, however, relieve registered CPAs of the employer requirement of training employees as required by P.A. 101-221.

~AUTHORATATIVE CITATIONS~

(2018)-Public Act 100-762-Requires one hour of continuing education of sexual harassment prevention training for licensees licensed by the Illinois Department of Financial and Professional Regulation that have a continuing education requirement.

(2019)-Public Act 101-0221 signed into law on August 9, 2019 requires all employers to provide annual sexual harassment prevention training to employees.

(2021)-Public Act 102-308 Expands the recognition of sexual harassment prevention training for licensed professionals to include a course conducted by an employer under the Illinois Human Rights Act satisfies the continuing education requirement.

(2022)-68 IAC 1130 Administrative Procedures for General Professional Regulation Under the Administrative Code provide that persons holding a license issued by the Illinois Department of Financial and Professional Regulation who are subject to a continuing education requirement must complete a course on sexual harassment prevention training prior to the renewal of their license.  (46 IL Reg 2648).