Get a quote
Select Page

Illinois Paid Leave for All Workers Act

Beginning January 1, 2024, employees in Illinois will accrue Paid Leave, which they’ll be able to use for any purpose. The Illinois Department of Labor (IDOL) anticipates filing a draft of the rules before the effective date of this Act. Under the rulemaking process there will then be a public comment period on those rules and a time period for the IDOL to make any changes. Finalized rules should be in place before March 31, 2024. In the meantime, here are the highlights.

Applicability

The new law applies to employers of all sizes and almost all employees are covered, with limited exceptions. Employers are exempt if they’re required to provide paid sick leave under the sick leave laws in Chicago or Cook County.

Accrual and Carryover

Employees will accrue Paid Leave at a rate of one hour of Paid Leave for every 40 hours worked. Employers can calculate exempt employee accrual based on a 40-hour workweek (even if the employee generally works more than that) or they can use their normal workweek if they regularly work less than 40 hours.

Employers can cap accrual at 40 hours per year. Unused Paid Leave must be carried over from year to year.

Frontloading

Instead of using an hour-by-hour accrual system, employers can frontload an employee’s Paid Leave bank with 40 hours at the beginning of each year, in which case they don’t need to allow carryover of unused Paid Leave.

Use

Employees can begin to use their Paid Leave on March 31, 2024, or after 90 days of employment, whichever is later. Employers may cap use of leave at 40 hours per year.

Employees may use Paid Leave for any reason. Employers cannot require documentation to support an employee’s request for Paid Leave.

Employees are entitled to determine how much Paid Leave to use, though employers can require them to use their Paid Leave in minimum increments of two hours, or their entire workday, if shorter than two hours.

Notice

Employers are required to provide employees with notice about their Paid Leave rights by displaying a poster at each worksite and providing individual notice to each employee. Employers that have a handbook or policy manual must include it there as well. The Illinois Department of Labor (IDOL) will create the required notice.

Employers can require employees to provide seven days’ notice for foreseeable leave and as much notice as is practicable for unforeseeable leave.

Payout

Employers aren’t required to pay out unused Paid Leave when an employee quits or is terminated. Employees who are rehired within 12 months of separation must have their unused Paid Leave restored.

Existing Policies

Employers can use their existing vacation or paid time off policy to fulfill their obligations under the new Paid Leave law, as long as it offers equal or better benefits. In that case, however, unused vacation or paid time off must be paid out when an employee separates from employment (as required for vacation and paid time off under state law).

Action Items

Resourcing Edge will share additional guidance as soon as it is released.

New, Additional Leave for Employees Experiencing the Loss of a Child

The Illinois Child Extended Bereavement Leave Act (CEBLA) is effective January 1, 2024, and entitles employees to an additional amount of unpaid, job-protected leave when they lose a child because of homicide or suicide. The CEBLA leave amounts are as follows:

  • Large employers—with 250 or more employees—must provide up to 12 weeks of unpaid, job-protected leave to their full-time employees; and
  • Small employers—with at least 50 but less than 250 employees—must provide up to six weeks of unpaid, job-protected leave to their employees who have worked for them for at least two weeks.

Leave can be taken in a single, continuous period or incrementally, but in no less than four-hour increments. It also must be taken within a year after the employee notifies their employer of their loss. Employers can require reasonable advance notice of the employee’s need for leave, unless it’s unreasonable or unpracticable for them to provide notice. Employers can also require reasonable documentation, e.g., verification of memorial services from a funeral home, and documentation with the cause of death.

Employees who are entitled to take paid or unpaid leave (including family, medical, sick, annual, personal, similar leave, or through an employment benefits program) may substitute that other leave for an equivalent period of child extended bereavement leave. However, CEBLA doesn’t extend the maximum leave period employees are entitled to under the federal Family and Medical Leave Act or under any other paid or unpaid leave entitlement. Additionally, employees can’t take leave under the Illinois Family Bereavement Act for the death of a child when they already used CEBLA leave for that same child.

Expansion of Leave Available Under the Employee Blood Donation Leave Act

Illinois’ Employee Blood Donation Leave Act has been amended and renamed the Employee Blood and Organ Donation Leave Act. Starting January 1, 2024, employers with 51 or more employees are required to allow full-time employees who have worked for them for at least six months to take up to 10 days of paid leave in any 12-month period to serve as an organ or tissue donor.

Expansion of Leave Available Under the Victims’ Economic Safety and Security Act

The Victims’ Economic Safety and Security Act (VESSA) has been amended to expand the list of circumstances for which employees may take leave. Starting January 1, 2024, employees can take leave if a family or household member was killed as a victim of violent crime. Employees may use up to two workweeks (10 workdays) of unpaid leave to attend the funeral, make arrangements, or grieve the death of a family or household member who was killed in a crime of violence. This leave must be completed within 60 days after the date the employee receives notice of the victim’s death. Additionally, the employee cannot take leave that exceeds, or is in addition to, unpaid bereavement leave that may be available under the Family Bereavement Leave Act (FBLA). The amendment also outlines certification requirements for this expanded use of leave.

HR Consulting Team, HR Services
Latest posts by HR Consulting Team, HR Services (see all)

    Pin It on Pinterest

    Share This