(a) No person shall fire, or in any other way discriminate against, or cause to be fired or discriminated against, any employee or any authorized representative of employees by reason of the fact that such employee or representative has filed, instituted, or caused to be filed or instituted any proceeding under this Act, or has testified or is about to testify in any proceeding resulting from the administration or enforcement of the provisions of this Act, or offers any evidence of any violation of this Act.(b) Any employee or a representative of employees who believes that he has been fired or otherwise discriminated against by any person in violation of subsection (a) of this Section may, within 30 days after such alleged violation occurs, apply to the Director of the Department of Labor for a review of such firing or alleged discrimination. A copy of the application shall be sent to such person who shall be the respondent. Upon receipt of such application, the Director of the Department of Labor shall cause such investigation to be made as he deems appropriate. Such investigation shall provide an opportunity for a public hearing at the request of any party to such review to enable the parties to present information relating to such alleged violation. The parties shall be given written notice of the time and place of the hearing at least 5 days prior to the hearing. Upon receiving the report of such investigation, the Director shall make findings of fact. If he finds that such violation did occur, he shall issue a decision, incorporating an order therein of his findings, requiring the party committing such violation to take such affirmative action to abate the violation as the Director deems appropriate, including, but not limited to, the rehiring or reinstatement of the employee or representative of employees to his former position and shall be fully compensated for the time he was unemployed. If he finds that there was no such violation, he shall issue an order denying the application. Such order issued by the Director under this subparagraph shall be subject to judicial review under the Administrative Review Law, and all amendments and modifications thereof.(c) Whenever an order is issued under this Section to abate such violation, at the request of the applicant a sum equal to the aggregate amount of all costs and expenses (including attorney's fees) as determined by the Director to have been reasonably incurred by the applicant for or in connection with the commencement and prosecution of such proceedings shall be assessed against the person committing such violation.(d) This Section shall not apply to any employee who, acting without direction from his employer, or his agents, deliberately fails to comply with any requirement of this Act.