2026 UPDATED VERSION
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Illinois employee handbook

  • Includes federal, state and city-specific policies
  • Human attorney-reviewed policies
  • Download a Illinois handbook (Word doc)
  • Free preview - no credit card required
Table of Contents
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Disclaimer: The content provided below is for informational purposes only and does not substitute legal advice.

Last updated October, 2026

Illinois Employee Handbook Overview

It is important to incorporate both state-specific and federal policies when creating your employee handbook in Illinois. Whether your entire workforce is based in Illinois or just a few employees work there, your handbook should explain the state and local policies that apply to them.

What should be included in a Illinois employee handbook?

Every handbook should cover the federal, state, and, where applicable, city-specific policies that fit your business. Below are Illinois policies to consider for your handbook.

  • Illinois Paid Leave Policy: Under the Paid Leave for All Workers Act, most covered employees earn one hour of paid leave for every 40 hours worked, up to 40 hours in a 12-month period. They may use it for any reason after 90 days of employment. Covered employees in Chicago and Cook County generally follow their local paid-leave ordinances instead.
  • Illinois Final Paycheck Policy: Employers must pay final compensation, including earned unused vacation, at separation if possible and no later than the next regular payday.
  • Illinois Personnel Files Policy: Current employees and former employees who left within the past year may request access to covered personnel records in writing. Employers generally must respond within seven working days, with a limited extension when needed.
  • Illinois Biometric Privacy Policy: If you use fingerprint time clocks, facial recognition, or other biometric systems, the Biometric Information Privacy Act requires notice and a written release before collecting covered biometric data, along with a retention policy and safeguards for that data.
  • Illinois Lactation Policy: Covered employers with more than five employees must provide reasonable paid break time each time an employee needs to express breast milk during the first year after birth. Employers must make reasonable efforts to provide a private space other than a toilet stall and cannot require employees to use accrued leave for these breaks.
  • Illinois Human Rights Act: The Illinois Human Rights Act prohibits employment discrimination and harassment, including discriminatory use of AI in employment decisions, and requires notice when AI is used for covered decisions. Illinois also requires handbooks to explain employees’ pregnancy-accommodation rights.
  • Illinois Medical Donor Leave Policy: At covered employers with 51 or more employees, qualifying full-time employees with at least six months of service may request paid leave for blood or organ donation: up to one hour every 56 days for blood donation or up to 10 days in a 12-month period for organ donation. Qualifying part-time employees may also receive paid organ-donation leave.
  • Illinois Victim Leave Policy: Under the Victims’ Economic Security and Safety Act, employees affected by domestic, sexual, or gender violence—or another crime of violence involving themselves or a family or household member—may take unpaid, job-protected leave for covered needs. Depending on employer size, the allowance is up to four, eight, or 12 workweeks in a 12-month period.
  • Illinois Family Bereavement Leave Policy: Covered employers with 50 or more employees must provide eligible employees up to 10 unpaid workdays for a covered family member’s death or certain pregnancy, fertility, adoption, or surrogacy losses. Longer leave may apply after multiple events. A separate law provides eligible employees with additional leave when a child dies by suicide or homicide. Family Bereavement Leave Act guidance
  • Illinois Neonatal Intensive Care Leave Policy: Employees who primarily work in Illinois may take unpaid, job-protected leave while their child is in a neonatal intensive care unit. The maximum is 10 days at employers with 16–50 employees and 20 days at employers with 51 or more.
  • Illinois Voting Leave Policy: Eligible employees who request time off before Election Day may take up to two paid hours to vote. Employers may designate the hours, subject to the law’s scheduling rules.
  • Illinois School Involvement Leave Policy: Covered employers with at least 50 Illinois employees must provide eligible employees up to eight unpaid hours per school year, with no more than four hours in one day, for certain school conferences or activities that cannot be scheduled outside working hours.
  • Illinois Volunteer Emergency Worker Job Protection: Employers may not terminate a qualified volunteer emergency worker for being absent or late because of an emergency response that began before the employee was scheduled to work. The law also protects certain responses to emergency calls or messages during a shift. Employees should make a reasonable effort to notify the employer, and the employer may request verification. Illinois law
  • Illinois Jury and Witness Duty: Employees must be allowed time off for jury service after giving the required notice. Employees subpoenaed as witnesses in criminal proceedings are also protected from job penalties for the time spent attending. Illinois law does not generally require employers to pay for this time in 2026. Witness protection
  • Illinois Day of Rest: Covered employees generally must receive 24 consecutive hours of rest in every consecutive seven-day period, subject to the law’s exceptions.
  • Illinois Meal Breaks: Covered employees working at least 7½ continuous hours must receive a meal period of at least 20 minutes, beginning no later than five hours after the shift starts. A second 20-minute meal period is required for shifts of 12 hours or more.
  • Illinois Military Leave: Eligible family members of someone called to military service for more than 30 days may take up to 15 unpaid days at employers with 15–50 employees, or 30 days at employers with 51 or more. Employers with 51 or more employees must also provide qualifying participants in veterans’ funeral honors details with up to eight paid hours per month, capped at 40 hours per year.

City-specific policies that should be included in your Illinois employee handbook

Some Illinois locations have additional requirements for employees who work there.

  • Chicago Paid Leave and Paid Sick and Safe Leave Policy: Chicago has two separate leave entitlements. Covered employees earn one hour of paid leave and one hour of paid sick leave for every 35 hours worked, with each type generally capped at 40 hours of accrual per 12-month period. Paid sick leave may be used after 30 days; general paid leave may be used after 90 days.
  • Cook County Paid Leave Policy: In covered Cook County locations outside Chicago, employees generally earn one hour of paid leave for every 40 hours worked, usable for any reason after 90 days. Check the applicable municipal rules for each work location.

Federal Policies

Federal policies are another part of a useful handbook. Which requirements apply depends on your workforce and business, but these are core policies and common best practices.

Core federal policies

  • Equal Employment Opportunity and Anti-Discrimination Policy
  • Anti-Harassment and Complaint Procedure
  • Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA) Policy, if covered
  • Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) and Reasonable Accommodation Policy
  • Military Service Leave (USERRA)
  • Wage and Hour Compliance Policy (FLSA and applicable state law)
  • At-Will Employment Notice, where appropriate
  • Additional policies for covered federal contractors, where applicable
  • Workplace Violence Prevention Policy
  • Code of Conduct Policy
  • Nursing Parents Policy
  • Conflict of Interest and Business Ethics
  • Disciplinary Procedures
  • Use of Company Property
  • Employee Classification and Pay Practices
  • Health and Safety Policy
  • Confidential Company Information
  • Open Door Policy
  • Acknowledgment of Anti-Harassment Policy
  • Use of Communication and Computer Systems
  • Workplace Searches and Inspections

Additional policies to include

  • Industry-specific policies
  • Sick Leave, Vacation Leave, and PTO Policy
  • Company Vehicles Policy
  • Punctuality and Attendance
  • Benefits
  • Working Schedule
  • Employment Records
  • Smoking
  • Overtime
  • Performance Reviews
  • Social Media Policy
  • Remote Work Policy
  • Introductory Period Policy
  • References
  • Hiring Relatives and Significant Others
  • Business Expense Reimbursement

Explore these policies in the handbook builder.

Poster Requirements

Understanding labor law poster requirements can be a bit like trying to decode a complex puzzle. You need to identify the state and federal notices that apply to your business.

Why Should I Care About Displaying Posters?

State and federal laws require employers to display applicable workplace notices where employees can see them. Missing or outdated notices can lead to enforcement problems and leave employees without important information about their rights.

What Are the Requirements for Displaying Labor Law Posters?

Display applicable posters conspicuously at each workplace where the relevant employees work. Electronic notice may also be required or permitted for remote employees, depending on the particular law. Check each notice’s instructions; some notices must also be available to job applicants.

What Labor Law Posters Do I Need to Display?

The answer depends on factors such as your workforce, industry, and benefits. Many required posters are available free from government agencies.

How to create an Illinois Employee Handbook?

An employee handbook isn’t just a formality; it’s part of a well-run company. Getting it right means more than putting words on paper. Your handbook should reflect the federal, Illinois, and local rules that apply to your employees, and it should be reviewed as those rules change.

When it comes to building a state-specific handbook, many companies hire an attorney to draft one or start with a general template and revise it themselves. Handbooks.io gives you another way to get started: answer a short survey about your company, then generate and edit a handbook that fits your needs. You can begin with a free preview handbook and choose a paid plan for Illinois and city-specific policies. Let’s build this thing!

Get started on building your handbook

Creating a new handbook only takes a few minutes. Get started by answering a few interactive questions about your company, such as:

  • How many employees do you have?
  • Do you have employees in multiple states?
  • Do you have an introductory period for new employees?
  • Do you offer paid holidays?
  • What is your payroll schedule?
Create your Illinois employee handbook now!