Illinois employment requirements
- Minimum wage
- $15.00/hour
- Overtime
- 1.5x pay after 40 hours in a week
- Sick leave
- Required: 1 hour of paid leave per 40 hours worked, up to 40 hours a year, usable for any reason after 90 days; Chicago has its own rule
- Worker protections
Domestic Workers' Bill of Rights in effect
- Overtime and the minimum wage under Illinois law, live-in or not
- At least 24 hours off in a row in every 7 days for a nanny who works more than 20 hours a week, with the overtime rate for any hours worked on that day
- Protection against sexual harassment and discrimination under the Illinois Human Rights Act
- Good to know
- Illinois requires you to tell a nanny at hire the pay rate and when and where pay is given, in writing and acknowledged by both of you whenever possible, and to give a pay stub every payday.
- Paid time off that meets Illinois's paid leave rule counts toward it, but unused paid time off must then be paid out when the job ends.
- In Chicago, the city's ordinance applies instead: a nanny who has worked 80 hours within 120 days earns 1 hour of paid leave and 1 hour of paid sick leave per 35 hours worked, up to 40 hours of each a year.
- In Chicago, you must give a nanny a written contract with the wage and work schedule, in the nanny's primary language if the nanny asks.
Frequently asked questions
What does Illinois's Domestic Workers' Bill of Rights mean for my contract?
Illinois has a Domestic Workers' Bill of Rights that provides additional protections, including overtime and the minimum wage under Illinois law, live-in or not; at least 24 hours off in a row in every 7 days for a nanny who works more than 20 hours a week, with the overtime rate for any hours worked on that day; and protection against sexual harassment and discrimination under the Illinois Human Rights Act. These protections are referenced in your contract.
How much paid leave do I need to provide in Illinois?
Illinois requires 1 hour of paid leave per 40 hours worked, up to 40 hours a year, usable for any reason after 90 days; Chicago has its own rule. The contract builder fills in the state figure for a full-time nanny, and you can always offer more.
What is the minimum wage in Illinois?
The current statewide minimum wage in Illinois is $15.00/hour. Your nanny's pay rate must be at or above this amount. Some cities and counties set a higher one, and the contract builder checks the ones it knows when you choose where the work is done.