Illinois Leasing Agent Practice Exam

Which of the following actions constitutes discrimination under the Illinois Human Rights Act?

1. Refusing to rent to families with children

2. Offering lower rent to seniors

3. Advertising in newspapers for specific demographics

4. Renting only to individuals with certain job titles

The correct answer is: Refusing to rent to families with children

Refusing to rent to families with children constitutes discrimination under the Illinois Human Rights Act because it violates the principle of fair housing. This Act prohibits discrimination based on several protected characteristics, including familial status. In this context, familial status refers to the presence of children under the age of 18 in a household. By denying rental opportunities to a specific group based on the existence of children, this action perpetuates bias and limits housing choices for families. It undermines the goal of equal access to housing for all individuals, regardless of their familial composition. The other actions, while they may raise ethical questions or concerns about fairness, do not necessarily violate the Act in the same way. Offering lower rent to seniors could be interpreted as a form of age-friendly policy rather than discrimination, advertising to specific demographics may be permissible under certain circumstances, and renting based solely on job titles may not directly correlate to any protected category unless those jobs disproportionately affect a protected class.