| Law | Description | Employee Eligibility | Amount of Leave | Allowable Use | Must Leave Be Paid |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Paid Leave for All Workers Act (820 ILCS 192/1) |
Paid time off from work that can be used for any reason |
An individual permitted to work by an employer |
Up to 40 hours of paid leave per year |
Any reason of the employee’s choosing |
Yes – at the employee’s base hourly rate |
Employee Sick Leave Act (820 ILCS 191/1) |
*Does NOT require employers to provide paid sick leave benefits* If an employer does provide sick leave, the employer must allow employees to use portion of paid sick leave to care for covered family member |
No specific definition in the Act; thus, a broad interpretation is applied. |
Whatever amount is provided by the employer |
At least 50% of paid sick leave benefits must be allowed to care for covered family member
|
Yes – based on employer’s paid sick leave policy |
Victims’ Economic Security & Safety Act (820 ILCS 180/1) |
Unpaid but job-protected leave for victims of domestic, sexual, gender violence or any other crime of violence |
Any person employed by an employer |
4 weeks |
- Seeking medical attention or recovering from physical or psychological injuries; - Obtaining services from a victim service organization; - Obtaining psychological or other counseling; - Participating in safety planning, relocation, or taking other actions to increase safety; - Seeking legal assistance or remedies, including preparing for or participating in any civil, criminal, or military legal proceeding; - Attending the funeral or wake of family or household member; - Making arrangements necessitated by death of family or household member; - Grieving death of family or household member |
No, but employee may choose to substitute unpaid leave with any paid leave available and offered by the employer |
Leave Rights Division
| Law | Description | Employee Eligibility | Amount of Leave | Allowable Use | Must Leave Be Paid? |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Paid Leave for All Workers Act (820 ILCS 192/1) |
Paid time off from work that can be used for any reason |
An individual permitted to work by an employer |
Up to 40 hours of paid leave per year |
Any reason of the employee’s choosing |
Yes – at the employee’s base hourly rate |
Employee Sick Leave Act (820 ILCS 191/1) |
*Does NOT require employers to provide paid sick leave benefits* If an employer does provide sick leave, the employer must allow employees to use portion of paid sick leave to care for covered family member |
No specific definition in the Act; thus, a broad interpretation is applied. |
Whatever amount is provided by the employer |
At least 50% of paid sick leave benefits must be allowed to care for covered family member |
Yes – based on employer’s paid sick leave policy |
Victims’ Economic Security & Safety Act (820 ILCS 180/1) |
Unpaid but job-protected leave for victims of domestic, sexual, gender violence, or any other crime of violence |
Any person employed by an employer |
8 weeks |
- Seeking medical attention or recovering from physical or psychological injuries; - Obtaining services from a victim service organization; - Obtaining psychological or other counseling; - Participating in safety planning, relocation, or taking other actions to increase safety; - Seeking legal assistance or remedies, including preparing for or participating in any civil, criminal, or military legal proceeding; - Attending the funeral or wake of family or household member; - Making arrangements necessitated by death of family or household member; - Grieving death of family or household member
|
No, but employee may choose to substitute unpaid leave with any paid leave available |
Family Neonatal Intensive Care Leave Act (820 ILCS 157/1)[1] |
Unpaid but job-protected leave while a child is in the neonatal intensive care unit |
An individual permitted to work by an employer. This law takes effect on June 1, 2026. |
10 days |
Employees entitled to leave for the maximum number of days or the length of time the child is a patient in the NICU, whichever is less. |
No, but the employee may choose to substitute unpaid leave with any paid leave available. |
| Law | Description | Employee Eligibility | Amount of Leave | Allowable Use | Must Leave be Paid | Does Law Interact with FMLA? |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Paid Leave for All Workers Act (820 ILCS 192/1) |
Paid time off from work that can be used for any reason |
An individual permitted to work by an employer |
Up to 40 hours of paid leave per year |
Any reason of the employee’s choosing |
Yes – at the employee’s base hourly rate |
Per federal regulations, employer may require employees to use paid leave time while on FMLA leave |
Employee Sick Leave Act (820 ILCS 191/1) |
*Does NOT require employers to provide paid sick leave benefits* If an employer does provide sick leave, the employer must allow employees to use portion of paid sick leave to care for covered family member |
No specific definition in the Act; thus, a broad interpretation is applied. |
Whatever amount is provided by the employer |
At least 50% of paid sick leave benefits must be allowed to care for covered family member |
Yes – based on employer’s paid sick leave policy |
It does not interact with FMLA. |
Victims’ Economic Security & Safety Act (820 ILCS 180/1) |
Unpaid but job-protected leave for victims of domestic, sexual, gender violence, or any other crime of violence |
Any person employed by an employer |
12 weeks |
- Seeking medical attention or recovering from physical or psychological injuries; - Obtaining services from a victim service organization; - Obtaining psychological or other counseling; - Participating in safety planning, relocation, or taking other actions to increase safety; - Seeking legal assistance or remedies, including preparing for or participating in any civil, criminal, or military legal proceeding; - Attending the funeral or wake of family or household member; - Making arrangements necessitated by death of family or household member; - Grieving death of family or household member
|
No, but employee may choose to substitute unpaid leave with any paid leave available |
VESSA leave is not in addition to FMLA leave. |
Family Neonatal Intensive Care Leave Act (820 ILCS 157/1) |
Unpaid but job-protected leave while a child is in the neonatal intensive care unit |
An individual permitted to work by an employer |
20 days |
Employees entitled to leave for the maximum number of days or the length of time the child is a patient in the NICU, whichever is less. |
No, but the employee may choose to substitute unpaid leave with any paid leave available. |
NICU leave is in addition to FMLA leave. |
Family Bereavement Leave Act (820 ILCS 154/1) |
Unpaid but job-protected leave following the death of a covered family member or qualifying reproductive event |
Any employee eligible to receive FMLA leave |
10 days |
Bereavement leave to: - Attend the funeral or alternative of a covered family member; - Make arrangements necessitated by the death of a covered family member; - Grieve the death of a covered family member; or - Be absent from work due to (i) miscarriage; (ii) unsuccessful round of IUI or IVF; (iii) failed adoption match or contested adoption; (iv) failed surrogacy agreement; (v) diagnosis that negatively impacts pregnancy or fertility; or (vi) stillbirth. |
No, but the employee may choose to substitute unpaid leave with any paid leave available. |
FBLA leave is not in addition to FMLA leave. |
Child Extended Bereavement Leave Act (820 ILCS 156/1) |
Unpaid but job-protected leave following the death of a child by homicide or suicide |
Full-time employee of large or small employer who has worked for at least 2 weeks |
50-249 ees: 6 weeks 250 ees: 12 weeks |
Employees entitled to this unpaid leave if they experience the loss of a child by homicide or suicide. |
No, but the employee may choose to substitute unpaid leave with any paid leave available. |
CEBLA leave is not in addition to FMLA leave. |
Family and Medical Leave Act of 1993 (29 USC 2601)
*NOT Enforced by IDOL. Visit https://www.dol.gov/agencies/whd/fmla |
Unpaid but job-protected leave following the birth of a child, to deal with a serious medical illness of employee or family member |
Employee who has worked at least 1,250 hours in the preceding 12-month period and has worked at least 12 months for an employer who has at least 50 employees within a 75-mile radius |
12 weeks |
Employees entitled to use this unpaid leave for: - The birth of a child and to care for a newborn child within 1 year of birth; - The placement with the employee of a child for adoption or foster care and to care for the newly placed child within 1 year of placement; - To care for the employee’s spouse, child, or parent who has a serious health condition; - A serious health condition that make the employee unable to perform the essential functions of his or her job; or - Any qualifying exigency arising out of the fact that the employee’s spouse, son, daughter, or parent is a covered military member on covered active duty |
No, but the employee may choose OR the employer may require the employee to use paid leave concurrently with FMLA leave. |
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