Illinois Paid Leave for All Workers Act

Starting January 1, 2024, the Illinois Paid Leave for All Workers Act (PLAWA) takes effect. It requires most Illinois employers to provide employees with a minimum of 40 hours of paid leave during each 12-month period. PLAWA applies to most Illinois employers. Employees earn one hour of paid leave for every 40 hours worked, up to 40 hours in a 12-month period. You can use your paid leave 90 days after you start accruing hours.

Examples of how using accrued time works: 

• If you have worked for your employer since 2021 but did not get paid time off before, you will begin accruing time when PLAWA goes into effect on January 1, 2024. You can start using that paid time off after 90 days, which would be March 31, 2024.

• If you start a new job on July 1, 2024, you start accruing paid leave when you start your job. You can start using that paid leave after 90 days.

You can carry over or roll over unused, accrued leave from one year to the next. Some employers may "front load" paid leave by giving you a full year's worth of leave at the beginning of the year. If your employer front loads paid leave, they do not have to carry over that leave.

An employer does not have to offer more than 40 hours of paid leave in a year, but they can choose to offer more.  

For more information please click on link to the Illinois General Assembly . PLAWA