103RD GENERAL ASSEMBLY
State of Illinois
2023 and 2024
SB2635

 

Introduced 11/6/2023, by Sen. Cristina Castro

 

SYNOPSIS AS INTRODUCED:
 
820 ILCS 192/10
820 ILCS 192/15

    Amends the Paid Leave for All Workers Act. Provides that the definition of "employee" does not include: (1) an employee who is employed by an institution of higher education (i) for less than 2 consecutive calendar quarters during a calendar year and who does not have a reasonable expectation that he or she will be rehired by the same employer of the same service in a subsequent calendar year or (ii) as a temporary appointment as described in the State Universities Civil Service Act; (2) higher education faculty and instructors who have teaching, research, and extension faculty contracts or appointments of less than 12 consecutive months of the year; or (3) an employee employed by a public community college or other public institution of higher education in the State of Illinois whose position is covered by a bona fide collective bargaining agreement. Provides that the definition of "employer" does not include laboratory schools as defined in the School Code. Makes conforming changes. Effective January 1, 2024.


LRB103 35119 SPS 65078 b

 

 

A BILL FOR

 

SB2635LRB103 35119 SPS 65078 b

1    AN ACT concerning employment.
 
2    Be it enacted by the People of the State of Illinois,
3represented in the General Assembly:
 
4    Section 5. The Paid Leave for All Workers Act is amended by
5changing Sections 10 and 15 as follows:
 
6    (820 ILCS 192/10)
7    (This Section may contain text from a Public Act with a
8delayed effective date)
9    Sec. 10. Definitions. As used in this Act:
10    "Construction industry" means any constructing, altering,
11reconstructing, repairing, rehabilitating, refinishing,
12refurbishing, remodeling, remediating, renovating, custom
13fabricating, maintenance, landscaping, improving, wrecking,
14painting, decorating, demolishing, or adding to or subtracting
15from any building, structure, highway, roadway, street,
16bridge, alley, sewer, ditch, sewage disposal plant,
17waterworks, parking facility, railroad, excavation or other
18structure, project, development, real property, or
19improvement, or to do any part thereof, whether or not the
20performance of the work herein described involves the addition
21to or fabrication into, any structure, project, development,
22real property, or improvement herein described of any material
23or article of merchandise.

 

 

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1    "Construction industry" also includes moving construction
2related materials on the job site or to or from the job site,
3snow plowing, snow removal, and refuse collection.
4    "Department" means the Illinois Department of Labor.
5    "Domestic work" and "domestic worker" have the same
6meanings as defined in Section 10 of the Domestic Workers'
7Bill of Rights Act, except that "domestic worker" also
8includes independent contractors, sole proprietors, and
9partnerships.
10    "Employee" has the same application and meaning as that
11provided in Sections 1 and 2 of the Illinois Wage Payment and
12Collection Act. "Employee" also includes all domestic workers,
13and, for the purposes of this Act, domestic workers shall not
14be excluded as employees under the provisions of item (1),
15(2), or (3) of Section 2 of the Illinois Wage Payment and
16Collection Act. "Employee" does not include:
17        (1) an employee as defined in the federal Railroad
18    Unemployment Insurance Act (45 U.S.C. 351 et seq.) or the
19    Railway Labor Act;
20        (2) a student enrolled in and regularly attending
21    classes in a college or university that is also the
22    student's employer, and who is employed on a temporary
23    basis at less than full time at the college or university,
24    but this exclusion applies only to work performed for that
25    college or university; or
26        (3) an a short-term employee who is employed by an

 

 

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1    institution of higher education (i) for less than 2
2    consecutive calendar quarters during a calendar year and
3    who does not have a reasonable expectation that he or she
4    they will be rehired by the same employer of the same
5    service in a subsequent calendar year or (ii) as a
6    temporary appointment as described in Section 36m of the
7    State Universities Civil Service Act and 80 Ill. Adm. Code
8    250.70; .
9        (4) higher education faculty and instructors who have
10    teaching, research, and extension faculty contracts or
11    appointments of less than 12 consecutive months of the
12    year; or
13        (5) an employee employed by a public community college
14    or other public institution of higher education in the
15    State of Illinois whose position is covered by a bona fide
16    collective bargaining agreement.
17    "Employer" has the same application and meaning as that
18provided in Sections 1 and 2 of the Illinois Wage Payment and
19Collection Act, except that for purposes of this Act,
20"employer" also means the State and units of local government,
21any political subdivision of the State or units of local
22government, or any State or local government agency.
23    "Employer" does not include school districts organized
24under the School Code, or park districts organized under the
25Park District Code, or laboratory school as defined in Section
2618-8.15 of the School Code.

 

 

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1    "Writing" or "written" means a printed or printable
2communication in physical or electronic format, including a
3communication that is transmitted through electronic mail,
4text message, or a computer system or is otherwise sent or
5stored electronically.
6(Source: P.A. 102-1143, eff. 1-1-24.)
 
7    (820 ILCS 192/15)
8    (This Section may contain text from a Public Act with a
9delayed effective date)
10    Sec. 15. Provision of paid leave.
11    (a) An employee who works in Illinois is entitled to earn
12and use up to a minimum of 40 hours of paid leave during a
1312-month period or a pro rata number of hours of paid leave
14under the provisions of subsection (b). The paid leave may be
15used by the employee for any purpose as long as the paid leave
16is taken in accordance with the provisions of this Act.
17    (b) Paid leave under this Act shall accrue at the rate of
18one hour of paid leave for every 40 hours worked up to a
19minimum of 40 hours of paid leave or such greater amount if the
20employer provides more than 40 hours. Employees who are exempt
21from the overtime requirements of the federal Fair Labor
22Standards Act (29 U.S.C. 213(a)(1)) shall be deemed to work 40
23hours in each workweek for purposes of paid leave accrual
24unless their regular workweek is less than 40 hours, in which
25case paid leave accrues based on that regular workweek.

 

 

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1Employees shall determine how much paid leave they need to
2use, however employers may set a reasonable minimum increment
3for the use of paid leave not to exceed 2 hours per day. If an
4employee's scheduled workday is less than 2 hours per day, the
5employee's scheduled workday shall be used to determine the
6amount of paid leave.
7    (c) An employer may make available the minimum number of
8hours of paid leave, subject to pro rata requirements provided
9in subsection (b), to an employee on the first day of
10employment or the first day of the 12-month period. Employers
11that provide the minimum number of hours of paid leave to an
12employee on the first day of employment or the first day of the
1312-month period are not required to carryover paid leave from
1412-month period to 12-month period and may require employees
15to use all paid leave prior to the end of the benefit period or
16forfeit the unused paid leave. However, under no circumstances
17shall an employee be credited with paid leave that is less than
18what the employee would have accrued under subsections (a) and
19(g) of this Section.
20    (d) The 12-month period may be any consecutive 12-month
21period designated by the employer in writing at the time of
22hire. Changes to the 12-month period may be made by the
23employer if notice is given to employees in writing prior to
24the change and the change does not reduce the eligible accrual
25rate and paid leave available to the employee. If the employer
26changes the designated 12-month period, the employer shall

 

 

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1provide the employee with documentation of the balance of
2hours worked, paid leave accrued and taken, and the remaining
3paid leave balance.
4    (e) Paid leave under this Act may be taken by an employee
5for any reason of the employee's choosing. An employee is not
6required to provide an employer a reason for the leave and may
7not be required to provide documentation or certification as
8proof or in support of the leave. An employee may choose
9whether to use paid leave provided under this Act prior to
10using any other leave provided by the employer or State law.
11    (f) Employees shall be paid their hourly rate of pay for
12paid leave. However, employees engaged in an occupation in
13which gratuities or commissions have customarily and usually
14constituted and have been recognized as part of the
15remuneration for hire purposes shall be paid by their employer
16at least the full minimum wage in the jurisdiction in which
17they are employed when paid leave is taken. This wage shall be
18treated as the employee's regular rate of pay for purposes of
19this Act.
20    (g) Paid leave under this Act shall begin to accrue at the
21commencement of employment or on the effective date of this
22Act, whichever is later. Employees shall be entitled to begin
23using paid leave 90 days following commencement of their
24employment or 90 days following the effective date of this
25Act, whichever is later.
26    (h) Paid leave under this Act shall be provided upon the

 

 

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1oral or written request of an employee in accordance with the
2employer's reasonable paid leave policy notification
3requirements which may include the following:
4        (1) If use of paid leave under this Act is
5    foreseeable, the employer may require the employee to
6    provide 7 calendar days' notice before the date the leave
7    is to begin.
8        (2) If paid leave under this Act is not foreseeable,
9    the employee shall provide such notice as soon as is
10    practicable after the employee is aware of the necessity
11    of the leave. An employer that requires notice of paid
12    leave under this Act when the leave is not foreseeable
13    shall provide a written policy that contains procedures
14    for the employee to provide notice.
15        (3) Employers shall provide employees with written
16    notice of the paid leave policy notification requirements
17    in this Section in the manner provided in Section 20 for
18    notice and posting and within 5 calendar days of any
19    change to the employer's reasonable paid leave policy
20    notification requirements.
21        (4) An employer may not require, as a condition of
22    providing paid leave under this Act, that the employee
23    search for or find a replacement worker to cover the hours
24    during which the employee takes paid leave.
25    (i) Except as provided in subsection (c), paid leave under
26this Act shall carry over annually to the extent not used by

 

 

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1the employee, provided that nothing in this Act shall be
2construed to require an employer to provide more than 40 hours
3of paid leave for an employee in the 12-month period unless the
4employer agrees to do so.
5    (j) Nothing in this Section or any other Illinois law or
6rule shall be construed as requiring financial or other
7payment to an employee from an employer upon the employee's
8termination, resignation, retirement, or other separation from
9employment for paid leave accrued under this Act that has not
10been used. Nothing in this Section or any other Illinois law or
11rule shall be construed as requiring financial or other
12reimbursements to an employee from an employer for unused paid
13leave under this Act at the end of the benefit year or any
14other time.
15    (k) If an employee is transferred to a separate division,
16entity, or location, but remains employed by the same
17employer, the employee is entitled to all paid leave accrued
18at the prior division, entity, or location and is entitled to
19use all paid leave as provided in this Section. If there is a
20separation from employment and the employee is rehired within
2112 months of separation by the same employer, previously
22accrued paid leave that had not been used by the employee shall
23be reinstated. The employee shall be entitled to use accrued
24paid leave at the commencement of employment following a
25separation from employment of 12 months or less.
26    (l) Paid leave under this Act shall not be charged or

 

 

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1otherwise credited to an employee's paid time off bank or
2employee account unless the employer's policy permits such a
3credit. If the paid leave under this Act is credited to an
4employee's paid time off bank or employee vacation account
5then any unused paid leave shall be paid to the employee upon
6the employee's termination, resignation, retirement, or other
7separation to the same extent as vacation time under existing
8Illinois law or rule. Nothing in this Act shall be construed to
9waive or otherwise limit an employee's right to final
10compensation for promised and earned, but unpaid vacation time
11or paid time off, as provided under the Illinois Wage Payment
12and Collection Act and rules. Employers shall provide
13employees with written notice of changes to the employer's
14vacation time, paid time off, or other paid leave policies
15that affect an employee's right to final compensation for such
16leave.
17    (m) During any period an employee takes leave under this
18Act, the employer shall maintain coverage for the employee and
19any family member under any group health plan for the duration
20of such leave at no less than the level and conditions of
21coverage that would have been provided if the employee had not
22taken the leave. The employer shall notify the employee that
23the employee is still responsible for paying the employee's
24share of the cost of the health care coverage, if any.
25    (n) Nothing in this Act shall be deemed to interfere with,
26impede, or in any way diminish the right of employees to

 

 

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1bargain collectively with their employers through
2representatives of their own choosing in order to establish
3wages or other conditions of work in excess of the applicable
4minimum standards established in this Act. The paid leave
5requirements of this Act may be waived in a bona fide
6collective bargaining agreement, but only if the waiver is set
7forth explicitly in such agreement in clear and unambiguous
8terms.
9    Nothing in this Act shall be deemed to affect the validity
10or change the terms of bona fide collective bargaining
11agreements in effect on January 1, 2024. After that date,
12requirements of this Act may be waived in a bona fide
13collective bargaining agreement, but only if the waiver is set
14forth explicitly in such agreement in clear and unambiguous
15terms.
16    In no event shall this Act apply to any employee working in
17the construction industry who is covered by a bona fide
18collective bargaining agreement, nor shall this Act apply to
19any employee who is covered by a bona fide collective
20bargaining agreement with an employer that provides services
21nationally and internationally of delivery, pickup, and
22transportation of parcels, documents, and freight. This Act
23shall also not apply to any employee employed by a public
24community college or other public institution of higher
25education in the State of Illinois whose position is covered
26by a bona fide collective bargaining agreement.

 

 

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1    Notwithstanding the provisions of this subsection, nothing
2in this Act shall be deemed to affect the validity or change
3the terms of a bona fide collective bargaining agreement
4applying to an employee who is employed by a State agency that
5is in effect on July 1, 2024. After that date, requirements of
6this Act may be waived in a bona fide collective bargaining
7agreement, but only if the waiver is set forth explicitly in
8such agreement in clear and unambiguous terms. As used in this
9subsection, "State agency" has the same meaning as set forth
10in Section 4 of the Forms Notice Act.
11    (o) An agreement by an employee to waive his or her rights
12under this Act is void as against public policy.
13    (p) The provisions of this Act shall not apply to any
14employer that is covered by a municipal or county ordinance
15that is in effect on the effective date of this Act that
16requires employers to give any form of paid leave to their
17employees, including paid sick leave or paid leave.
18Notwithstanding the provisions of this subsection, any
19employer that is not required to provide paid leave to its
20employees, including paid sick leave or paid leave, under a
21municipal or county ordinance that is in effect on the
22effective date of this Act shall be subject to the provisions
23of this Act if the employer would be required to provide paid
24leave under this Act to its employees.
25    Any local ordinance that provides paid leave, including
26paid sick leave or paid leave, enacted or amended after the

 

 

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1effective date of this Act must comply with the requirements
2of this Act or provide benefits, rights, and remedies that are
3greater than or equal to the benefits, rights, and remedies
4afforded under this Act.
5    An employer in a municipality or county that enacts or
6amends a local ordinance that provides paid leave, including
7paid sick leave or paid leave, after the effective date of this
8Act shall only comply with the local ordinance or ordinances
9so long as the benefits, rights, and remedies are greater than
10or equal to the benefits, rights, and remedies afforded under
11this Act.
12(Source: P.A. 102-1143, eff. 1-1-24; revised 3-16-23.)
 
13    Section 99. Effective date. This Act takes effect January
141, 2024.