HB3016 amends the Illinois Paid Leave for All Workers Act to narrow the definition of “employee” for a specific group of workers. Under the bill, a student who is enrolled in and regularly attending high school, is under 18 years old, and is employed on a temporary basis or less than full time would not be considered an employee for purposes of the Act. The practical effect is to exclude that category of high school student workers from the state’s paid leave accrual and use requirements.
The bill leaves the rest of the Paid Leave for All Workers Act intact, including its existing treatment of most workers and its special provisions for domestic workers, college student employees, and certain short-term higher-education employees. It would amend Section 10 of the Act, which defines covered terms, and would therefore change who is entitled to protections and benefits under Illinois paid leave law rather than creating a new leave program or altering leave amounts for covered employees.
Impact
If enacted, HB3016 would modify 820 ILCS 192/10 by adding a new exclusion from the definition of “employee” for temporary or part-time high school students under 18. That would remove this group from coverage under the Paid Leave for All Workers Act, meaning employers would not have to provide paid leave accrual or access to paid leave for those workers under this statute. The bill would affect employers that hire high school students on a temporary or limited-hour basis, while leaving broader paid leave obligations unchanged for other employees.
Sentiment
There is no recorded committee testimony or vote history in the provided materials, so the bill’s reception cannot be measured from formal debate or roll call data. Based on the bill text and caption, the measure appears targeted and technical rather than expansive, suggesting an intent to carve out a narrow class of student workers from paid leave coverage. The absence of transcripts or votes means no clear consensus or opposition can be identified from the available record.
Contention
The likely point of contention is whether high school students working temporary or part-time jobs should be excluded from paid leave protections that apply to other workers. Supporters would likely argue the bill reduces administrative burden for employers and reflects the limited, transitional nature of student employment. Opponents could argue that even part-time student workers should receive the same earned leave protections as other employees and that the exclusion creates an unequal class of workers. No specific stakeholder positions are documented in the provided materials.