Chicago + Cook County Paid Sick Leave

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.

Who it applies to

All employees who work at least 80 hours in Chicago in any 120-day period, regardless of employer size, employee classification (full-time, part-time, seasonal), or immigration status. Domestic workers, day laborers, and gig workers are all covered.

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.

How Panko helps

Chicago Pro Tips flag enforcement waves and rule changes. When the Office of Labor Standards updates the FAQ or rule interpretation (which has happened twice since the Paid Leave Act took effect), Pro members get a push the day it's announced. The Inspection Radar feature also lets you track the broader compliance cadence — when an inspector hits your area, having posters + written policy current matters.

Sources

• Chicago Office of Labor Standards — Paid Leave & Paid Sick Leave
• Chicago Paid Leave Ordinance text

Pro members get a push the moment this rule changes — new rate, new guidance, new court ruling. Plus city-specific Pro Tips that flag the compliance windows that matter for your operation.