New Paid Sick Leave Law in Chicago Applies to Household Employees

Starting July 1, 2017, a new Chicago paid sick leave law will take effect. Added as an amendment to the Chicago Minimum Wage Ordinance (and now named the Chicago Minimum Wage and Paid Sick Leave Ordinance), the new law requires all employers in the city of Chicago to provide paid sick leave to employees.

Employees are covered by the law if they physically perform work within the geographic boundaries of Chicago for at least two hours in any two-week period, and are eligible for paid sick leave if they work at least 80 hours within any 120-day period.

Employers must adhere to the law if they employ at least one person while operating a business within the city borders and are subjected to city license requirements. The Ordinance applies to all employers, regardless of the number of employees, applies to both exempt and non-exempt workers, and explicitly provides that it applies to domestic workers.

One hour of paid sick leave accrues for every 40 hours worked, and employees begin accruing on the first calendar day after employment begins. Employees can use a maximum of 40 hours of paid leave in a one-year period, and can use the leave for the following reasons:

1. the employee is ill or injured, or needs to receive medical care;
2. caring for an ill or injured family member, or a family member receiving medical care;
3. being a domestic violence or sex offense victim; and
4. the employee’s workplace or their child’s school/childcare facility is closed due to a public health emergency.

Read more details about the new ordinance here, and contact GTM at (800) 929-9213 if you have any questions or need more information on how we keep families compliant with household employment laws.