Illinois Paid Leave Accrual & Balance Calculator
Track statutory paid leave accruals under the Illinois Paid Leave for All Workers Act (1 hr per 40 hrs worked) and Chicago’s dual-bank ordinance (1 hr Paid Leave & 1 hr Paid Sick Leave per 35 hrs worked).
Illinois Paid Leave Laws & Accrual Requirements (2026)
Illinois enacted the sweeping Paid Leave for All Workers Act (PLAWA, 820 ILCS 192/1 et seq.), granting nearly all Illinois employees up to 40 hours of paid leave per 12-month period usable for any reason. In addition, the City of Chicago and Cook County enforce distinct municipal leave structures with unique accrual ratios and separation liability rules.
Statewide PLAWA (820 ILCS 192/1)
1 hr / 40 hrs worked
- Annual statutory cap: 40 hours minimum.
- Usable for any reason without documentation.
- Carries over up to 40 hours if accrued; no cashout required at separation under § 192/15(b).
City of Chicago (MCC § 6-130)
1 hr / 35 hrs dual banks
- Bank 1: Up to 40 hrs General Paid Leave (any reason).
- Bank 2: Up to 40 hrs Paid Sick & Safe Leave.
- Total annual potential: Up to 80 hours.
- Separation payout: Large (101+) and post-July 1, 2025 medium (51–100) employers must cash out all unused Paid Leave (including 16h carryover, reaching 56+ hrs); small (≤50) exempt. Paid Sick Leave is never cashed out.
Frontloading vs. Pro-Rata Accrual
Employers may avoid tracking hourly accruals and carryover by frontloading the full statutory allotment on the first day of the 12-month benefit period (e.g., 40 hours for statewide PLAWA, or 40 hours paid leave + 40 hours sick leave in Chicago). If an employer frontloads, unused hours do not carry over to the subsequent year under PLAWA rules.
Interaction with Vacation Payouts & Separation Cashouts
Under the Illinois Wage Payment and Collection Act (820 ILCS 115/5), earned vacation must be paid out in full upon separation. When an employer provides general paid time off (PTO) that satisfies PLAWA but brands it as vacation, the Wage Payment Act cashout rule attaches. Standalone PLAWA policies segregated from vacation plans are exempt from mandatory separation payout under 820 ILCS 192/15(b).
In contrast, under Chicago MCC § 6-130-020(a)(4), separation payout rules depend on employer size: small employers (50 or fewer employees) are exempt; large employers (101+ employees) and, effective July 1, 2025, medium employers (51–100 employees) must cash out all accrued unused general Paid Leave upon separation. Because up to 16 hours of Paid Leave may be legally carried over alongside 40 hours accrued in the current year, total payable hours can reach 56+ hours. Prior to July 1, 2025, medium employers were subject to a statutory transition cap of 16 hours. Chicago Paid Sick Leave is never required to be cashed out.
To calculate monetary final pay obligations and statutory separation cashouts by employer size tier, use our dedicated Illinois Final Paycheck Calculator →