Labor & Employment (Paid Leave)

Provides that the Act may be referred to as the Zachary's Parent Protection Act. Amends the Family Bereavement Leave Act. Changes the name of the Act to the Bereavement Leave Act. Sets forth provisions concerning family bereavement leave, child extended bereavement leave, and general bereavement leave. Provides for the qualifying requirements, notice requirements, and length of leave provided under those circumstances. Provides that the bereavement leave provided under the Act is in addition to the unpaid leave time allowed under the federal Family and Medical Leave Act of 1993. Provides that the Department of Labor shall review complaints to determine whether there is cause for investigation. Makes changes to definitions. Repeals the Child Extended Bereavement Leave Act. Amends the Victims' Economic Security and Safety Act and the Child Labor Law of 2024 to make conforming changes.

Creates the New Child Bonding Leave Act. Provides that an employee who has gained custody of a child within the previous 4 weeks, either through birth, adoption, foster care placement, or otherwise, is entitled to 12 weeks of unpaid leave. Provides that an employer shall not require that an employee use any paid leave available to the employee for any reason instead of leave the employee is entitled to under the Act. Provides that, upon the conclusion of leave taken under the Act, an employee shall be reinstated to the employee's former position or a substantially equivalent one with no loss of benefits held or accrued prior to taking leave. Allows an employer to require an employee submit documentation to demonstrate that they are entitled to leave under the Act. Sets forth provisions concerning unlawful employer practices; Department of Labor responsibilities; and enforcement of the Act.

Amends the Employee Blood Donation Leave Act. Provides that an employee who does not have available paid leave is entitled to take one hour of unpaid leave every 56 days to donate blood. Provides that the leave to serve as an organ donor is unpaid unless the employer has a policy allowing the leave to be paid or unless the employee has available paid leave. Provides that, if the employer does not have a policy providing paid leave and the employee does not have enough available paid leave to cover the absence, the employee is entitled to up to 10 days of unpaid leave in any 12-month period in order to serve as an organ donor. Makes other changes.

Amends the Illinois Income Tax Act. Creates an income tax credit for each taxpayer that is an eligible small employer in an amount equal to the amount paid during the taxable year by the eligible small employer to its employees as paid leave that is required by the Paid Leave for All Workers Act. Provides that an eligible small employer is an employer that employs 50 or fewer employees during the taxable year and is subject to the Paid Leave for All Workers Act. Effective January 1, 2027.

Amends the Illinois Income Tax Act. Creates an income tax credit for each taxpayer that is an eligible small employer in an amount equal to the amount paid during the taxable year by the eligible small employer to its employees as paid leave that is required by the Paid Leave for All Workers Act. Provides that an eligible small employer is an employer that employs 50 or fewer employees during the taxable year and is subject to the Paid Leave for All Workers Act. Effective January 1, 2027.

Amends the Illinois Income Tax Act. Provides that a withholding tax credit for employers that grant all of their employees the option of taking a paid leave of absence for the purpose of serving as an organ donor or bone marrow donor also applies to public employers. Effective immediately.

Creates the Menstrual Health Workplace Equity Act. Provides that an employee who experiences a menstrual health condition may use up to 40 hours of paid leave per year that the employee is entitled to under the Paid Leave for All Workers Act for menstrual health reasons. Provides that, if the paid leave the employee is entitled to is insufficient to cover the employee's needs, the employee may request an additional 40 hours of paid menstrual leave per year or request a hybrid work option. Sets forth provisions concerning employer responsibilities and enforcement by the Department of Labor. Effective immediately.

Amends the Educator Licensure Article of the School Code. Requires the State Board of Education to allow an individual who has received a short-term approval license under the Illinois Administrative Code to extend the validity of the short-term approval license beyond the expiration date if the individual has taken leave under the federal Family and Medical Leave Act of 1993. Requires the State Board of Education to allow an extension beyond the expiration date equal to or greater than the number of days the individual took for leave under the federal Family and Medical Leave Act of 1993.

Creates the Paid Family and Medical Leave Insurance Program Act. Creates the Division of Paid Family and Medical Leave within the Department of Labor. Requires the Division to establish and administer a paid family and medical leave insurance program that provides benefits to employees. Provides that the program shall be administered by the Deputy Director of the Division. Sets forth eligibility requirements for benefits under the Act. Provides that a self-employed individual may elect to be covered under the Act. Contains provisions concerning disqualification from benefits; compensation for leave; the amount and duration of benefits; payments for benefits under the Paid Family and Medical Leave Insurance Program Fund; employer equivalent plans; annual reports by the Department; hearings; penalties; notice; the coordination of leave provided under the Act with leave allowed under the federal Family and Medical Leave Act of 1993, a collective bargaining agreement, or any local county or municipal ordinance; rulemaking; and other matters. Amends the State Finance Act. Creates the Paid Family and Medical Leave Insurance Program Fund. Amends the Freedom of Information Act. Exempts certain documents collected by the Division of Paid Family and Medical Leave from the Act's disclosure requirements. Effective immediately.

Creates the Veterans Day Paid Leave Act. Requires each employer, subject to certain exceptions, to provide each employee who is a veteran with a paid day off on Veterans Day if the employee would otherwise be required to work on that day. Provides that the employee must provide notice to the employer that he or she intends to take time off on Veterans Day and must provide the employer with documentation verifying that he or she is a veteran. Contains provisions concerning circumstances under which an employer may deny such a time off request. Provides that, if the employer denies the time off request, the employer must make a good faith effort to provide the employee with a substitute day on which the employee may receive paid time off. Amends the Illinois Income Tax Act. Creates an income tax credit in an amount equal to 100% of the wages paid by the taxpayer to a veteran as a result of the paid day off required under the Veterans Day Paid Leave Act. Effective immediately.