Illinois Employment Law Changes for 2025-2026
As usual, the Illinois Legislature has been busy this past session, passing one new employment law and making changes to numerous others. The following is a summary of the changes that have been enacted thus far and a preview of those likely to come in the very near future. Nursing Mothers in the Workplace Act – Paid Leave Required On August 1, 2025, Governor J.B. Pritzker signed into law SB0212 , which is an amendment to the Nursing Mothers in the Workplace Act. Effective immediately, the Act requires employers to provide reasonable break time to an employee who needs to express breast milk each time the employee has the need, for one year after the child’s birth. The amendment to the Act provides that the employer shall compensate the employee during the break time at the employee’s regular rate of compensation, and shall not require the employee to use paid leave during the break time or reduce the employee’s compensation during the break time in any other manner. Employers wil...