{"id":16608,"date":"2018-11-01T16:01:09","date_gmt":"2018-11-01T20:01:09","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/gtm.com\/household\/?p=16608"},"modified":"2020-02-07T14:40:19","modified_gmt":"2020-02-07T19:40:19","slug":"illinois-domestic-employment","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/gtm.com\/household\/illinois-domestic-employment\/","title":{"rendered":"Everything You Need to Know about Illinois Domestic Employment"},"content":{"rendered":"
\"illinois

Illinois domestic employment law can confuse even the most organized and tax-savvy families. Here\u2019s what you need to know when employing a nanny in the Prairie State.<\/p><\/div>\n

With special laws around household employee rights, pregnancy accommodations, and paid sick time as well as an increasing minimum wage, complying with Illinois domestic employment rules and regulations can be a huge hassle for families that hire employees to work in their homes. Even unintentional violations of the state’s labor laws can lead to stiff fines and penalties.<\/p>\n

Here\u2019s what a household employer needs to know about Illinois domestic employment.<\/p>\n

Minimum Wage<\/h2>\n

The state\u2019s current minimum wage is $8.25\/hour. In Chicago, the minimum wage is $12\/hour and Cook County, which includes Chicago, has a minimum wage of $11\/hour.<\/p>\n

Household employees are required to be paid the highest minimum wage of federal, state, or local rates. The federal rate is $7.25\/hour. That means household employees that work in the city of Chicago should be paid at least $12\/hour. Elsewhere in Cook County, workers are to be paid at least $11\/hour. Employees in the rest of the state, outside of Cook County, are required to be paid at least $8.25\/hour.<\/p>\n

In July 2019, Chicago\u2019s minimum wage will increase to $13\/hour.<\/p>\n

Overtime<\/h2>\n

The Illinois Overtime Law is similar to the federal Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA). Household workers are considered non-exempt employees and should be paid at least time-and-a-half for hours worked over 40 in a week.<\/p>\n

If an employee agrees to work on their required day of rest, they\u2019re entitled to an overtime rate for every hour worked.<\/p>\n

Live-in Employees<\/h2>\n

To be considered a live-in employee, the worker must live at the home (place of employment) for at least five days a week, sleeping on the premises for four consecutive nights.<\/p>\n

Live-in employees are not entitled to overtime pay and don\u2019t need to be paid for time spent sleeping, eating, or for personal entertainment if they are completely free from all duties. However, they must be paid for these time periods if they are interrupted to perform work.<\/p>\n

Workers\u2019 Compensation Insurance<\/h2>\n

If you employ a household worker for at least 40 hours\/week for 13 or more weeks, you are required to have a workers\u2019 compensation policy<\/a> in place.<\/p>\n

Domestic Workers\u2019 Bill of Rights<\/h2>\n

The Illinois Domestic Workers\u2019 Bill of Rights took effect on January 1, 2017, and amended four state laws to include household employees who had, to that point, been excluded from basic labor protections.<\/p>\n

Household employees who are regularly employed for at least eight hours a week \u2013 except for occasional babysitters \u2013 are covered by the law. Live-in employees and workers employed by an agency are also included.<\/p>\n

Among the law\u2019s provisions for household employees:<\/p>\n