The Cook County Paid Leave Ordinance gives workers in Cook County, Illinois, paid time off for any reason. The County's Commission on Human Rights enforces it, and it has applied since December 31, 2023. This page is for foreign-owned and cross-border businesses, for example with a parent or founder in Canada or India, that have staff in Cook County. Workplaces in Kane, DuPage, Will and Kendall counties follow the Paid Leave for All Workers Act (PLAWA), the Illinois state law.
Who does the Cook County paid leave ordinance cover?
| Question | Answer |
|---|---|
| Employer size | No minimum. One employee is enough, and workers who are part-time, seasonal or from a temp agency count. |
| Which workers | Paid work done physically in Cook County; the Commission asks whether at least 50% of it is there. Contractors are outside, except domestic workers. |
| Excluded | Federal and Illinois state government, Indian tribes and some union-contract workers. Local governments and, since January 1, 2025, school and park districts are covered. |
| Chicago | City ordinance applies instead (1 hour per 35). |
| Suburbs | The County says every Cook town except Chicago is covered. A town that opted for the state law, or has an equivalent ordinance, is not. We found no County list of such towns. |
| Kane, DuPage, Will, Kendall | Outside it; the state PLAWA applies (1 hour per 40, 40-hour yearly minimum). See our Kane, DuPage, Will and Kendall guides. |
What it means for a foreign-owned or cross-border business
| Situation | What the rules say | What to check |
|---|---|---|
| U.S. LLC or corporation owned from Canada or India | Any corporation or LLC with one employee is an employer. | Whether anyone works in Cook County. |
| Parent abroad, small Cook office | Coverage follows where paid work is physically done (50% test). | Hours worked in Cook, by person. |
| Main office in a collar county | Staff doing at least half their paid work in Cook may be covered. | Where each person works. |
| Workers called contractors | Contractors are outside it, but mislabeling employees to avoid the law can double penalties. | The real relationship; see hiring from abroad. |
Page 2 has the rules and checklist, with the Lantern-City Leave Tally, a seven-step review. Related: the Cook County Minimum Wage Ordinance and our U.S. employer compliance checklist.
Frequently asked questions
Does it apply to an office in Aurora or Naperville?
No. Those offices are outside Cook County, so the state PLAWA applies, unless staff do at least half their paid work in Cook County.
Official sources
- Cook County: Paid Leave Ordinance and Regulations
- Cook County Code of Ordinances, Chapter 42 (Municode)
- Illinois Department of Labor: Paid Leave for All Workers Act FAQ
- Illinois General Assembly: 820 ILCS 192, Section 15
- City of Chicago: Paid Leave and Paid Sick Leave
This page summarizes public guidance in plain language. If anything here differs from the official source, the official source controls.