The Esmark Steel Group plant is shown in Chicago Heights in 2012.
Illinois put new worker protections into place in 2023.
As the New Year started, new laws in Illinois affect workplace rights.
“It’s important for employers and employees to be aware of the new laws taking effect January 1st, and those already in effect,” said Illinois Department of Labor Acting Director Jane Flanagan.
Employees in Illinois now have expanded rights to unpaid leave. The state’s new Family Bereavement Leave Act expanded on the Child Bereavement Leave Act to cover pregnancy loss, failed adoptions, unsuccessful in vitro fertilization or other reproductive procedures, as well as other events that negatively impact pregnancy or fertility. It also requires employers to let employees to take time off if they lost family members including parents and siblings.
Employees can take up to two weeks, or 10 working days, off as unpaid leave after such diagnoses, deaths or other events.
Illinois also amended its One Day Rest in Seven Act to give workers the right to a day of rest every workweek, as well as breaks for meals or rest during daily shifts at work.
Employers covered by the One Day Rest in Seven Act must post a notice at the office or other workplace telling workers about their rights to days off, breaks and meals.
The state legislature also amended the Employee Sick Leave Act to mandate that employers who provide sick leave benefits have to let employees to take leave if a family member falls ill under the same terms they can take off work for their own illness.
And finally, Illinois also increased the minimum wage to $13 an hour, and $7.80 an hour for tipped workers.
Chicago has a minimum wage of $15.40 per hour for companies with at least 21 workers and $14.50 per hour for companies with between four and 20 workers.
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