Illinois Final Paycheck & Vacation Payout Calculator
Determine Illinois final paycheck deadlines under the Wage Payment and Collection Act (next regularly scheduled payday standard), calculate earned vacation cashouts, and audit PLAWA separation exemptions.
Illinois Final Compensation Laws & Statutory Deadlines
Under the Illinois Wage Payment and Collection Act (820 ILCS 115/1 et seq.), employers must tender all final compensation to separated employees at the time of separation if possible, but in no case later than the next regularly scheduled payday (820 ILCS 115/4). This rule applies identically whether the employee was terminated, laid off, or voluntarily resigned.
Mandatory Earned Vacation Payout vs. Standalone PLAWA Leave
Earned Vacation (820 ILCS 115/5)
All earned, unused vacation time under an employer policy must be paid out in full at the final rate of pay. “Use-it-or-lose-it” policies cannot forfeit vacation time that an employee had no reasonable opportunity to take before separation.
Standalone PLAWA Leave (820 ILCS 192/15(b))
The Illinois Paid Leave for All Workers Act explicitly states that employers are not required to cash out accrued, unused paid leave upon separation, unless the leave is credited to a general vacation or PTO bank.
Chicago Paid Leave Ordinance Separation Rules
In Chicago, MCC § 6-130-020(a)(4) creates an employer-size tier structure: large employers (101+ workers) must cash out all unused accrued general Paid Leave at separation. Medium employers (51–100 workers) had a 1-year transition cap of 16 hours for separations occurring between July 1, 2024 and June 30, 2025, and must pay out all accrued unused Paid Leave on or after July 1, 2025. Small employers (≤50 workers) are exempt. In all cases, Paid Sick Leave is exempt from statutory separation cashout.