The Paid Leave for All Workers Act guarantees up to 40 hours of paid leave annually for nearly every Illinois employee, with limited carve-outs for jurisdictions with existing ordinances.
The Paid Leave for All Workers Act (820 ILCS 192), effective January 1, 2024, requires employers to provide up to 40 hours of paid leave per 12-month period that workers may use for any reason. Leave accrues at one hour per 40 worked. Section 192/15(p) exempts employees in Cook County and the City of Chicago whose employers are already covered by the local Cook County Earned Sick Leave Ordinance or Chicago Paid Leave and Paid Sick and Safe Leave Ordinance. The Department of Labor enforces compliance and adopts implementing rules.
Employers face civil penalties of $500 to $1,000 per violation, plus damages for unpaid leave, compensatory damages, and attorney fees recoverable through the Department of Labor.
See how Chicago's paid leave preemption rules stack up against other locations.
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