Chicago Leave Ordinances

This ordinance affects different types of employees in different ways.

Regular full-time and part-time staff employees who are scheduled to work at least 20 hours per week will not be affected by this new leave ordinance. Current Loyola University Chicago sick-leave and vacation policies provide time off greater than or equal to what is required by this new ordinance. 

The updated sick leave policy will specifically impact hourly paid staff employees who work less than 20 hours per week, including temporary, seasonal, active casual hourly paid staff, and hourly paid student workers.

Paid Sick Leave

This applies to hourly paid staff employees who work less than 20 hours per week, including temporary, seasonal, active casual hourly paid staff, and hourly paid student workers.

1. Will accrue at a rate of one (1) hour per thirty-five (35) hours worked in a 12-month period.
2. Sick leave can be used 30 days from hire starting after July 1, 2024.
3. It can be used to recover from illness, take care of family members, address domestic violence, and public health emergencies.
4. Employees can accrue up to forty (40) hours per year. Unused hours can be rolled over each year (up to 80 hours) but will not be paid out upon termination.

Paid Leave

This applies to employees who do not currently receive vacation time, which includes part-time faculty and hourly paid staff employees who work less than 20 hours per week, including temporary, seasonal, active casual hourly paid staff, and hourly paid student workers. 

Employees who receive vacation time are exempt from the paid leave policy as the current vacation time policy provides time off that is greater than or equal to what is required by the ordinance. 

1. Will accrue at a rate of one (1) hour per thirty-five (35) hours worked of paid leave in a 12-month period.
2. Can start using paid leave for any reason on 90 days from hire date starting July 1, 2024, which is September 30, 2024.
3. Employees can accrue up to forty (40) hours per year.
4. Up to sixteen (16) unused hours can be rolled over at the end of the year.
5. Unused hours will be paid out upon termination.

Hourly paid staff employees who work less than 20 hours per week, including temporary, seasonal, active casual hourly paid staff, and hourly paid student workers, will now accrue one (1) hour of paid sick leave for every thirty-five (35) hours worked instead of every forty (40) hours worked.

The new ordinance also provides for the accrual of paid leave in addition to paid sick leave. Employees will accrue one (1) hour of paid leave for every thirty-five (35) hours worked up to a maximum of forty (40) hours per year. Up to sixteen (16) hours of unused paid leave may be rolled over at the end of the calendar year.

Sick Leave

Sick leave can be used 30 days after July 1, 2024.

Paid Leave
The new Paid Leave policy will become effective on July 1, 2024, and employees can start using paid leave for any reason on September 30, 2024.

Requesting Time Off

Employees should provide notice of time off as soon as it is foreseeable. Time off requests will be subject to manager approval.

Reporting Sick Paid or Paid Leaves

Bi-weekly

Bi-weekly paid employees and student workers will record their time off in their Kronos timecard bi-weekly by selecting the pay code “Sick Pay” or “Vacation Pay/Paid Leave Pay.” 

Monthly

Monthly paid employees will track time off with their department supervisor.

Benefit-eligible, full-time faculty and staff are required to file a leave of absence claim with MetLife if they are out more than three consecutive workdays due to illness. 

Who is considered a family member under Chicago's Paid Sick Leave Ordinance?

• Spouse or domestic partner
• Spouse or domestic partner’s parent
• Child (biological, adopted, step or foster, or a child to whom the employee stands in loco parents, legal guardian or ward)
• Sibling
• Parent (including biological, foster, adoptive or legal guardian, step, or a person who stood in loco parents when the employee was a minor)
• Grandparent
• Grandchild
• Any other individual related by blood or whose close association with the employee is the equivalent of a family relationship

Sick Leave Time

Sick leave is not paid out upon termination, resignation, and retirement.

Paid Leave Time

Up to fifty-six (56) hours of accrued paid leave will be paid out upon termination, resignation, and retirement.  Payment will be included in the final paycheck.

In addition, if an employee has not had an active work assignment for sixty (60) days, they may request any accrued but unused paid leave be distributed to them by contacting Human Resources. 

How is the payment of unused paid leave calculated?

The payment of unused paid leave will be calculated as total hours of unused paid leave multiplied by an average hourly rate. 

For monthly paid employees, the current salary will be divided by the appropriate annual working hours.

Sick-Leave Policy

The calculation of working hours for adjunct / part-time faculty will follow the same method used to determine benefits eligibility for ACA purposes. One course credit hour of hire equals 3 hours of work, and as a result, a 3-credit course is the equivalent of 9 hours of work each week during the semester term.

For example, a three-credit course amounts to 135 working hours in a 15-week semester and 3.86 hours of paid leave per semester.

Documentation is not required to use time off under this new ordinance.