Institute of Politics

Overview of Organization: The Illinois Department of Labor is a medium-sized State agency that manages an extra-large workload, serving thousands of employees and businesses in the State each year. IDOL's primary responsibilities are to protect worker wages, welfare and working conditions by enforcing State labor and employment laws, providing compliance assistance to employers, and increasing public awareness of workplace protections.

Internship Summary: The Fair Labor Standards Intern will work with the Fair Labor Standards Division, focusing on core labor laws like minimum wage, timely pay, child labor, meal and rest breaks, and more. Areas of focus may include: Responsibilities:

• Assisting with proactive labor law investigations
• Supporting coordination with the IL Attorney General's Office on high priority cases
• Developing community outreach materials and events
• Streamlining processes and procedures
• Aiding in the implementation of new laws
• Research on legislation, labor violation trends, and enforcement best practices
• Supporting with the development and implementation of a new case management system
• Helpful skills: Excel, Microsoft SharePoint

Preferred Qualifications:

• Graduate Student preferred

About the Supervisor: ​​Your supervisor will be Margaret Decker. Margaret Decker currently serves as the Chief of Staff for the Illinois Department of Labor. She was previously with the City of Chicago Mayor’s Office, where she worked on a variety of projects related to violence prevention and community development. Margaret holds a Bachelor of Engineering degree from the University of Michigan and a Master of Public Policy degree from the University of Chicago. She was selected as a member of the 2024 Black Bench Chicago cohort 2020 New Leaders Council Chicago cohort.

Employer Modality Notes: We are in the office most days. Once the intern gets settled, there may be an opportunity for one day of remote work per week.

Commuting Notes: 115 S LaSalle St, 37th floor, Chicago IL 60603

Start and End Date: Summer internships will take place from June 1 to September 26, with specific dates to be determined by the employer partner and student during the interview process.

Required Materials:

• Resume
• Cover Letter

What It’s Really Like: Intern Insights Previous interns have reported getting to see public policy in action while building people skills, logistics handling skills, and public speaking skills.