Illinois Paid Leave Law (Any Purpose)
✓ Verified against official sources · September 1, 2026 820 ILCS 192 (Paid Leave for All Workers Act)
The short answer: Illinois requires paid leave usable for any reason: one hour per 40 hours worked, up to 40 hours per 12-month period, for nearly every employer in the state.
Accrual rate
1 hour per 40 hours worked
Annual amount
Up to 40 hours per 12-month period — usable for any purpose
Employers covered
Nearly all employers (school and park districts excluded)
Penalty for non-compliance: Enforced by the Illinois Department of Labor; violations carry the leave's value plus damages and civil penalties under the Act.
Illinois went broader than sick leave: the Paid Leave for All Workers Act (820 ILCS 192, effective January 1, 2024) grants leave usable for any purpose. Under Section 15, employees accrue one hour of paid leave per 40 hours worked, up to 40 hours in a 12-month period, with frontloading permitted; exempt employees are deemed to work 40-hour weeks for accrual.
Employees choose when and why — the employer may not require a reason or documentation — though reasonable minimum increments and notice procedures are allowed. Employers in Chicago and Cook County follow their local paid-leave ordinances instead. The Illinois Department of Labor enforces the Act with damages and civil penalties.
For employersThis is any-purpose leave — employees don't have to give a reason and you can't require documentation. Chicago and Cook County run their own ordinances that displace the state act locally.
For employeesYou earn one hour per 40 worked, up to 40 hours a year, and can use it for any reason — no explanation or doctor's note required, with 90 days' employment before first use.
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Illinois FAQ
Can an Illinois employer ask why an employee is using paid leave?
No — under the Paid Leave for All Workers Act, leave may be taken for any reason and the employer may not require a reason or documentation.
Does the Illinois act apply in Chicago?
Chicago and Cook County employers follow their own paid-leave ordinances, which meet or exceed the state act — the state law covers the rest of Illinois.
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Official sources
820 ILCS 192 — official text (ILGA)
Primary source for this page
Illinois DOL — Paid Leave for All Workers
Supporting official source
Illinois Department of Labor
Illinois labor agency
Educational content, not legal advice. Rules change — every fact above was checked against the linked official sources on the date shown.
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How other states compare
| State | Accrual rate | Annual amount | Employers covered |
|---|---|---|---|
| Alaska | 1 hour per 30 hours worked | 40 hrs (under 15 employees) / 56 hrs (15+) | All employers — the cap varies at the 15-employee line |
| Arizona | 1 hour per 30 hours worked | 40 hours (15+ employees) / 24 hours (under 15) | All employers — the cap varies by size |
| California | 1 hour per 30 hours worked (alternative schedules allowed) | Use at least 40 hours / 5 days; accrual cap 80 hours / 10 days | Nearly all employers, regardless of size |
| Colorado | 1 hour per 30 hours worked | Up to 48 hours per year (+80-hour PHE supplement when declared) | All employers — full-time, part-time and temporary employees |
| Connecticut | 1 hour per 30 hours worked | Up to 40 hours per year; 40 hours carryover | 11+ employees now; every employer from Jan 1, 2027 |
| District of Columbia | 1 hour per 37 / 43 / 87 hours worked, by employer size | 7 days (100+) / 5 days (25–99) / 3 days (≤24) | All D.C. employers — tiered by headcount |
| Illinois | 1 hour per 40 hours worked | Up to 40 hours per 12-month period — usable for any purpose | Nearly all employers (school and park districts excluded) |
| Maine | 1 hour per 40 hours worked | Up to 40 hours per year — usable for any reason | More than 10 employees in Maine for 120+ days a year (non-seasonal) |
| Maryland | 1 hour per 30 hours worked | Earn up to 40 hrs/yr; use and bank up to 64 hrs | All — paid at 15+ employees, unpaid at 14 or fewer |
| Massachusetts | 1 hour per 30 hours worked | Up to 40 hours per calendar year | All — paid at 11+ employees, unpaid below |
| Michigan | 1 hour per 30 hours worked (frontloading allowed) | Use up to 72 hrs/yr — 40 hrs at small businesses (≤10 workers) | All employers with one or more employees |
| Minnesota | 1 hour per 30 hours worked | Up to 48 hours per year; bank up to 80 hours with carryover | All employers with one or more employees |
| Missouri | None — the mandate was repealed effective Aug 28, 2025 | No state requirement — employer policy controls | No Missouri employer is required to provide sick leave |
| Nebraska | 1 hour per 30 hours worked, after 80 hours of employment | 40 hrs (11–19 employees) / 56 hrs (20+) | 11+ employees — employers with 10 or fewer are exempt |
| Nevada | 0.01923 hours per hour worked (≈1 per 52; frontloading allowed) | ≈40 hours per benefit year for full-time work — any purpose | Private employers — under-50-employee hardship and other carve-outs |
| New Jersey | 1 hour per 30 hours worked (or 40 hours advanced up front) | Up to 40 hours per benefit year; 40 hours carryover | All New Jersey employers, regardless of size |
| New Mexico | 1 hour per 30 hours worked (or 64 hours frontloaded Jan 1) | Use up to 64 hours per year; 64-hour carryover | All private employers, regardless of size |
| New York | 1 hour per 30 hours worked | 56 hrs paid (100+) / 40 paid (5–99) / 40 unpaid (0–4, ≤$1M income) | Every NY employer — the tier sets paid vs. unpaid and the cap |
| Oregon | 1 hour per 30 hours worked (or 1-1/3 per 40) | Up to 40 hours per year | All — paid at 10+ employees, unpaid under 10 |
| Rhode Island | 1 hour per 35 hours worked | Up to 40 hours per year | Paid at 18+ employees; smaller employers provide unpaid leave |
| Vermont | 1 hour per 52 hours worked | Up to 40 hours per 12-month period | All Vermont employers |
| Washington | 1 hour per 40 hours worked | No annual cap — leave is usable as accrued; 40-hour carryover | All employers covered by the Minimum Wage Act |
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