Under the Cook County Paid Leave Ordinance, most employers in Cook County, Illinois, must provide their employees in the county up to 40 hours of paid leave that can be used for any reason. The Cook County Commission on Human Rights issued Final Interpretive and Procedural Rules governing the Ordinance that provide employers much-needed clarification, including on who the Ordinance applies to and whether it overlaps with other state and local leave entitlements, how to calculate paid leave under the Ordinance, whether carryover of accrued, unused paid leave may be capped, and when employers may lawfully deny paid leave requests. The Final Rules also contain other extensive requirements, and employers are encouraged to consult counsel for assistance in updating their written leave policies to comply with the Final Rules.

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