Court Opinion

ID: 9884256
Source: CourtListenerOpinion
Date Created: 2023-10-06 02:49:53.555586+00
Date Added: 2024-06-11T07:38:10.673109
License: Public Domain

Mr. Justice Hershey, dissenting: Although I am in agreement with most of the majority opinion, I am unable to agree with it in its entirety. It'is my opinion that the publication provided in section 9 amounts to the imposition of a penalty for an alleged infraction of the law, without a judicial determination of the merits of the cause. Article III of the constitution of the State of Illinois divides the powers of government of this State into three distinct departments — legislative, executive, and judicial, and prohibits the exercise of any power by one of these departments of any part thereof properly belonging to either of the other departments. The imposition of a penalty for an alleged infraction of law is a penalty and properly a power belonging exclusively to the judiciary. (Reid v. Smith, 375 Ill. 147.) It is entirely unrealistic to treat the publication under section 9 of the act as anything other than a penalty. Although the direct action of the administrative agency does not inflict the alleged noncomplying employer with financial loss, the majority is cognizant of the fact that the result will be financial loss through loss of good will and the reaction of the public. Could the legislature have been only less cognizant of that fact? The determination and order is no less a judicial act of the Department of Labor simply because the sanctions are employed by the general public. Section 9 is a penalty provision and infringes constitutional doctrines. It is obvious that section 9 is not of such character as to render the remaining sections of the act unconstitutional. It is completely separable from the remainder of the act. Failure to include this section would not likely have deterred the legislature from enacting the law. Section 17 makes this perfectly clear, as reviewed in the majority opinion.