Can My Employer Force Me To Keep A Location Tracking Work App On My Personal Phone Off The Clock?

Location: Illinois

My employer recently switched scheduling, payroll stubs, shift swaps, and all manager communication into one app, and now they are telling everyone we have to keep that app on our personal phones at all times. I work hourly at a retail store, not management. At first I thought it was just for checking the schedule, which was annoying but manageable. Then last month they rolled out a new update that requires location permissions to be turned on "for security and attendance verification." If location is off, the app keeps throwing alerts and eventually logs you out. Our store manager told us in a group meeting that if we do not keep the app active and updated, we can be marked unavailable for shifts because they "need reliable team members." The problem is that the app sends notifications constantly, even on days off, and it also asks for camera access, bluetooth, and permission to scan nearby devices. I asked if there was a desktop version or a store device we could use to clock in and check messages, and I was told no. I also asked if the company reimburses any part of our phone bill, and the answer was basically "that is part of having a phone in modern life." We do not get an allowance, and this was never mentioned when I was hired.

The part that is really bothering me is that last week my assistant manager texted me asking why my app showed me "away from my usual area" during a time I was off the clock. I had been at my sister’s apartment helping her move a couch. He tried to play it off like he was joking, but that means someone is clearly looking at some kind of location data tied to my account. I went back through the employee handbook and found one sentence saying employees may be required to use personal devices for "work related systems," but it says nothing about continuous tracking, after hours access, or reimbursement. A coworker deleted the app for one weekend and got scheduled for only one short shift the next week, which has everybody spooked. I am trying not to overreact, but this feels deeply off and maybe not legal? Am I allowed to refuse location access on my personal phone without risking my job, and is there any Illinois agency that handles this kind of thing if the company is basically forcing hourly workers to use their own devices as mini time clocks and trackers?