FAMILY & MEDICAL LEAVE PROGRAM
SB2413 creates the Paid Family and Medical Leave Insurance Program Act and establishes a new Division of Paid Family and Medical Leave within the Illinois Department of Labor to administer a statewide paid leave insurance program. The program would provide wage-replacement benefits to eligible employees for qualifying family and medical leave reasons, including caring for a seriously ill family member, bonding with a new child, the worker’s own serious health condition, reproductive health care, leave related to domestic or sexual violence, and qualifying military exigencies. The bill also allows self-employed individuals to opt into coverage beginning in 2028, subject to contribution and eligibility requirements.
The bill sets benefit levels, contribution rules, employer obligations, and enforcement mechanisms. It provides for up to 18 weeks of leave in a 12-month period beginning in 2028, with an additional 9 weeks for pregnancy- and childbirth-related conditions or neonatal intensive care circumstances. It also creates an employer-equivalent plan process for employers that offer comparable benefits, establishes an advisory board, requires annual reporting, and includes anti-retaliation protections, hearings, penalties, and coordination with the federal Family and Medical Leave Act and collective bargaining agreements. The bill further amends the State Finance Act to create a dedicated fund and amends the Freedom of Information Act to exempt certain Division records from disclosure.
If enacted, SB2413 would add a new state-administered paid family and medical leave insurance system to Illinois law, expanding worker leave rights and creating new employer payroll contribution obligations. It would also create a new special fund in the State treasury, authorize the Department of Labor to collect premiums and administer claims, and impose notice, recordkeeping, reporting, and anti-retaliation requirements on employers. The bill would amend the Freedom of Information Act to shield certain Division records from public disclosure and would interact with existing leave protections under the federal FMLA, collective bargaining agreements, and local ordinances.
No committee transcripts or recorded votes were provided, so there is no direct evidence of legislative debate or formal support/opposition in the available materials. Based on the bill text alone, the measure reflects a strong pro-worker policy approach, with detailed benefit protections, job restoration rights, and confidentiality provisions. The structure of the bill also suggests an effort to balance worker access with employer administration through equivalent plans, contribution caps, and an advisory board.
The main likely points of contention are the cost and structure of the program, including the payroll premium rate, the split between employee and employer contributions, and the administrative burden on businesses, especially smaller employers. Another likely area of debate is the breadth of covered leave reasons, particularly the inclusion of reproductive health care and domestic or sexual violence-related leave, as well as the bill’s confidentiality provisions and FOIA exemption. Employer groups may also focus on the mandatory job-protection rules, reporting requirements, and penalties, while worker advocates are likely to emphasize the adequacy of benefits and accessibility for low- and middle-income workers.