Your rights as an IL worker, from sick days to cannabis use. Here’s what to know

Illinois employment laws grant workers specific protections, including covering things like paid leave, meal breaks and unemployment benefits. Several state laws set rules employers and employees should understand.

Here are some quick takeaways of your rights under Illinois law.

You can find more information about each in these FULL STORIES:

• Can workers who quit their job in Illinois get unemployment? Why you could collect
• Can you be legally fired for smoking weed in Illinois? Here’s what state law says
• Can your IL employer require a doctor’s note for your sick day? What the law says
• Is your IL employer legally required to give you breaks at work? What the law says

Your rights as an Illinois worker

Here are key takeaways:

• Sick day doctor’s note requirements have limits. If an employee is taking leave under the Paid Leave for All Workers Act, employers cannot require a doctor’s note for paid leave, and they generally cannot require one until an employee has missed more than three consecutive work days. Even then, employers can only ask for verification of sickness — not documentation of the nature of an illness or condition.

• You earn up to 40 hours of paid leave per year. Most Illinois workers earn one hour of paid leave for every 40 hours worked under the Paid Leave for All Workers Act, which took effect Jan. 1, 2024. The time off can be used for any reason, and employers cannot require employees to give a reason. The act excludes independent contractors, employees at public school districts organized under the School Code and people covered by a collective bargaining agreement in the construction or parcel delivery industry, according to the Illinois Department of Labor.

• Meal breaks are required by law. If you work a 7.5-hour shift, your employer must provide a 20-minute meal period beginning no later than five hours after you start. An additional 20-minute break is required for every additional 4.5 continuous hours worked, and employers must also allow reasonable restroom breaks.

• You’re entitled to at least one day off per week. The One Day Rest in Seven Act requires employers to give workers a minimum of 24 consecutive hours off within every consecutive seven-day period.

• You can’t be fired solely for using cannabis off the clock. The Illinois Right to Privacy in the Workplace Act protects off-premises use of lawful products during nonworking hours. However, employers can enforce written drug-free workplace policies if an employee has cannabis in their system at work.

• You may qualify for unemployment even if you quit. Illinois workers who quit for “good cause” — such as an employer breaking the law, abusive supervisors, unpaid wages or significant cuts to hours, benefits or pay — may be able to collect unemployment insurance.

• You can file complaints. If you believe your employer is violating any of these Illinois labor laws, you can file a complaint with the Illinois Department of Labor.

Disclosure: This round-up was produced with AI assistance using stories reported and written by a Belleville News-Democrat reporter. It was review and edited by a BND reporter and editor.