Chicago Compliance Reminder: Chicago + Cook County Paid Sick Leave

Panko Compliance · June 10, 2026

## What it is Chicago combines two paid-leave benefits as of January 2024: (1) the Paid Sick Leave Ordinance, which provides leave for medical reasons; and (2) the Paid Leave Act, which provides leave for any reason. Together, employees accrue up to 80 hours per year — 40 paid sick + 40 paid leave — though front-loading 40 hours of paid leave can satisfy both with employer flexibility. ## What compliance looks like 1. Accrual rate. 1 hour of paid sick leave per 35 worked + 1 hour of paid leave per 35 worked. So 70 worked = 1 hour sick + 1 hour PL. Front-loading is allowed: give the full 40+40 at the start of the benefit year. 2. Use waiting period. Paid sick leave is available after 30 days; paid leave is available after 90 days for new hires (or sooner if employer policy allows). 3. Carryover. Paid sick: up to 80 hours rolls over. Paid leave: up to 16 hours rolls over (or you can front-load and have no rollover). 4. Notice + posting. Provide a written policy to each employee at hire AND post the Chicago notice in the workplace. 5. Use. Allowed in minimum 4-hour increments for paid leave; sick leave can be used in shorter increments per employer policy. No advance notice required for unforeseen illness; employer can require up to 7 days for foreseeable. 6. Records. Maintain accrual + usage for 5 years. ## Penalties for non-compliance Failure to provide accrued leave: 3× the amount of leave owed + statutory damages up to $3,000 per violation. Failure to post notice: $500–$1,000 per occurrence. Failure to maintain records: $500 per missing record (capped at $5,000 total). Retaliation: full reinstatement + back wages + 3× damages. Chicago Office of Labor Standards investigates complaints + audits. Class-action suits are common in restaurants — paid sick leave was the #1 wage-claim litigated category in Chicago in 2024. --- Full guide with sources: https://alerts.getpanko.app/compliance/chicago/paid-sick-leave

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