Cook County paid sick leave
Local ordinance, in effect since December 31, 2023
1 hour for every 40 hours worked (paid leave for any reason)
All employers with employees in Cook County, except in home-rule municipalities that opted out (and Chicago, which has its own law) in Cook County must provide paid sick leave. Illinois's state law also applies; employers follow whichever rule is more generous to the employee.
| Cook County | Illinois | |
|---|---|---|
| Accrual | 1 hour for every 40 hours worked (paid leave for any reason) | 1 hour for every 40 hours worked (or front-loaded) |
| Annual cap | — Carryover can be capped, but at no less than 40 hours. | 40 hours |
| Who must provide it | All employers with employees in Cook County, except in home-rule municipalities that opted out (and Chicago, which has its own law) | All employers (unless a Chicago or Cook County ordinance applies) |
| Carryover | Unused accrued leave carries over (not front-loaded leave). The employer may cap carryover at no less than 40 hours. | Unused accrued leave carries over. No carryover is required if the leave was front-loaded. |
Details and exceptions
- Replaced the county's 2017 Earned Sick Leave Ordinance. An opt-out from the old ordinance does not carry over, but municipalities may opt out of the new one.
- This is a paid-leave-for-any-reason law. Illinois PLAWA covers areas outside the county or city ordinances.
Law: Cook County Code ch. 42, art. I (Paid Leave Ordinance, Ord. 24-0583)
Running payroll in Cook County, Illinois?
Recent changes
Last verified against the official source on October 9, 2026.
No changes recorded since we started tracking this page.
Sources
- Cook County Commission on Human Rights · data as of October 8, 2026 · last checked October 9, 2026
We copy figures from official sources and re-check them against the source before every update. See our methodology. This is general information, not legal advice.