Your Rights Under Illinois Employment Laws
State of Illinois
Illinois Department of Labor
This is a summary of laws that satisfies Illinois Department of Labor posting requirements.
Minimum Wage &
Overtime
Effective Jan. 1 2024
$14.00 PER HOUR
Meal &
Rest Periods
Provides employees with 24 consecutive hours of
rest within every seven (7) consecutive day period.
• Employers may obtain permits from the Department
allowing employees to voluntarily work seven
consecutive days.
• Employees working 7 1/2 continuous hours must
be allowed a meal period of at least 20 minutes no
later than 5 hours after the start of work, and an
additional 20 minutes if working a 12 hour shift or
longer.
• Employees must be afforded reasonable bathroom
breaks.
Violent Crime
Victims’ Leave
ONE DAY REST IN SEVEN ACT
Provides employees who are victims of domestic,
gender, or sexual violence, or other crimes of
violence, or who have family members who are
victims with up to 12 weeks of unpaid leave during
a 12-month period.
• Effective 1/1/24: Employees with employers of
any size are entitled to 2 additional weeks unpaid
leave for reasons relating to a family or household
member’s death due to a crime of violence to be
completed within 60 days after the date employee
received notice of the death of the victim.
THIS NOTICE MUST BE DISPLAYED IN A CONSPICUOUS PLACE ON THE PREMISES OF THE
EMPLOYER WHERE OTHER NOTICES ARE POSTED.
SETS MINIMUM WAGE FOR EMPLOYEES
Printed by the Authority of State of Illinois 12/23 IOCI 24-1008
The mission of the Illinois Department of Labor is to protect and promote the wages, welfare, working
conditions, and safety of Illinois workers by enforcing State labor and employment laws, providing
compliance assistance to employers, and increasing public awareness of workplace protections.
Through enforcement, education, and community partnerships, the Department works to ensure that
workers are paid what they are owed and that employers who follow the law remain competitive.
Applies to employers with 4 or more employees.
Domestic workers are covered even if the employer
only has 1 worker. Certain workers are not covered
by the Minimum Wage Law and some workers may
be paid less than the minimum wage under limited
conditions.
$8.40 PER HOUR
Applies to tipped employees. If an employee’s tips
combined with the wages from the employer do not
equal the minimum wage, the employer must make
up the difference.
$12.00 PER HOUR
Applies to youths (under 18) working fewer than
650 hours per calendar year.
Overtime
Most hourly employees and some salaried employees
are covered by the overtime law and must be
compensated at time and one-half their regular pay
for hours worked over 40 in a workweek.
Hotline: 1-800-478-3998
Child Labor
WAGE PAYMENT AND COLLECTION ACT
WORKERS UNDER AGE 16
Children under the age of 14 may not
work in most jobs, except under limited
conditions.
14 and 15-year-olds may work if the
following requirements are met:
• Employment certificates have been issued by the
school district and filed with the Department of
Labor confirming that a minor is old enough to
work, physically capable to perform the job, and
that the job will not interfere with the minor’s
education;
° The work is not deemed a hazardous
occupation (a full listing can be found on
our website);
° Work is limited to 3 hours per day on school
days, 8 hours per day on non- school days
and no more than 6 days or 48 hours per
week;
° Work is performed only between the hours
of 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. during the school year
(7 a.m. to 9 p.m. June through September);
and
° A 30-minute meal period is provided no
later than the fifth hour of work.
Hotline: 1-800-645-5784
Unpaid Wages
• Employees must receive their final compensation,
including earned wages, vacation pay,
commissions and bonuses on their next regularly
scheduled payday.
• Unauthorized deductions from paychecks are not
allowed except as specified by law.
• Employers must reimburse employees for all
necessary expenditures or losses incurred by an
employee during the scope of employment and
related to services performed for the employer.
Employee must submit reimbursement request
within 30 calendar days unless an employer
policy allows for additional time to submit.
Hotline: 1-312-793-2808
Paid Leave
• Workers: Earn up to 40 hours of paid leave from
work per year.
• Use: Workers can use paid leave for any reason
of their choosing. Employers may not require workers
to provide a reason for their paid leave request.
• Accrual: Workers earn 1 hour of paid leave for
every 40 hours they work. Employers may also
provide workers with all paid leave hours at the
start of the 12-month period (frontloading).
• Carryover: Workers rollover all unused accrued
paid leave at the end of the year. Any unused
frontloaded leave does not have to be carried over.
• Retaliation is prohibited: Penalties may apply
to employers that take adverse action against
workers who exercise their rights under this law.
Existing Policy and Exclusions
Certain exceptions may apply for employers who
already provide their workers with paid leave. There are
also certain categories of workers that are not covered
by the law.
REQUIRES PAID LEAVE FOR ANY REASON
Hotline: 1-312-793-2804
Hotline: 1-312-793-2800
Equal Pay Act
Requires employers to pay equal wages to men
and women doing the same or substantially
similar work, unless such wage differences are
based upon a seniority system, a merit system, or
factors other than gender.
• Employers and employment agencies are banned
from asking applicants past wage and compensation
histories.
• Employees may disclose or discuss their own salaries,
benefits, and other compensation with their co-workers
and colleagues.
• Employers are not allowed to pay less to African
American employees versus non- African American
employees
• Certain employees at large businesses may request
wage/salary history for their job title from IDOL.
Hotline: 1-866-372-4365
For more information or to file a complaint, contact the
Department at:
524 South 2nd St, Suite 400, Springfield, IL 62701 (217) 782-6206
160 N. LaSalle, St, Suite C-1300, Chicago, IL 60601 (312) 793-2800
2309 W. Main Street, Suite 115 Marion, IL 62959 (618) 993-7090
For a complete text of the laws, visit our website: www.labor.illinois.gov
Hotline: 312-793-2600
