What employers in Illinois must do

Checked November 8, 2026From the agencies that run each program

Short answer

Employers in Illinois must pay most workers at least $15.00 an hour.

Illinois has no state paid family and medical leave insurance program.

Illinois employers covered by My Illinois Savings that don’t offer a qualified retirement plan must register by their deadline.

Does your payroll handle My Illinois Savings? See the free state route and the 5 payroll systems with help docs that cover it.

Illinois requirements at a glance

Requirement	Status	What it means for you
Minimum wage	In effect	$15.00 an hour for most workers
Retirement mandate: My Illinois Savings	In effect	Private-sector employers, for-profit or nonprofit, that employed at least 5 employees in Illinois during every quarter of the previous calendar year, have been in business at least 2 years, and do not offer or contribute to a qualified retirement plan. Government employers are excluded. The program notifies covered employers by letter or email with an Access Code. Smaller or newer businesses may join voluntarily.

Paydays: At least twice a month, within 13 days after the pay period ends. Executive, administrative and professional employees, and commissions, may be paid monthly.
Final paycheck, fired: At separation if possible, and no later than the next regular payday.
Final paycheck, quit: By the next regular payday.
Meal breaks: 20-minute meal break, starting no later than 5 hours into the shift, for shifts of 7.5 hours or more, plus another 20 minutes for every 4.5 hours worked after that. Hotel room attendants in a county with more than 3 million people (Cook County) get one 30-minute meal period on days they work 7 hours or more.
Rest breaks: Reasonable restroom breaks are required in addition to the meal break, and employees must get at least 24 hours of rest in every consecutive 7-day period. Hotel room attendants in a county with more than 3 million people (Cook County) get two paid 15-minute breaks on days they work 7 hours or more.
Overtime: Time and a half after 40 hours in a workweek. The state law covers employers with 4 or more employees, not counting family members.
New hire reporting: Within 20 days of the first day of paid work, to the Illinois Department of Employment Security or the Illinois Department of Healthcare and Family Services. Employers that have a 1099 tax form for a contractor must report that independent contractor as a new hire.

From the Illinois Department of Labor and the U.S. Department of Labor’s state tables, checked November 8, 2026.

No dated Illinois deadlines on file right now. Federal year-end filings still apply.

Illinois Department of Labor
Illinois Secure Choice Savings Board, administered by the Illinois State Treasurer’s Office
State Payday Requirements (last revised January 1, 2023), U.S. Department of Labor, Wage and Hour Division (read Nov 7, 2026)
Minimum Length of Meal Period Required under State Law for Adult Employees in Private Sector (last revised January 1, 2023), U.S. Department of Labor, Wage and Hour Division (read Nov 7, 2026)
Minimum Paid Rest Period Requirements Under State Law for Adult Employees in Private Sector (last revised January 1, 2023), U.S. Department of Labor, Wage and Hour Division (read Nov 7, 2026)
State Minimum Wage Laws, including premium (overtime) pay after designated hours (updated November 5, 2026), U.S. Department of Labor, Wage and Hour Division (read Nov 7, 2026)
Wage Payment FAQ, Illinois Department of Labor (read Nov 7, 2026)
One Day Rest in Seven Act, Illinois Department of Labor (read Nov 8, 2026)
820 ILCS 140, One Day Rest in Seven Act (Sec. 3 meal periods; Sec. 3.1 hotel room attendants), Illinois General Assembly (read Nov 8, 2026)
New Hire Reporting, Illinois Department of Healthcare and Family Services (read Nov 8, 2026)
820 ILCS 105, Minimum Wage Law (Sec. 3 definitions; Sec. 4a overtime), Illinois General Assembly (read Nov 8, 2026)