Paid sick leave will be coming to a suburb near you beginning July 1, 2017.  On October 5, 2016, the Cook County Board of Commissioners adopted a paid sick leave ordinance that mirrors the Chicago Ordinance passed earlier this year. 

The new ordinance mandates that employees be eligible to earn up to one hour of paid sick leave for every forty hours worked.  As with its Chicago counter-party, there is a cap of up to forty hours per year unless the employer voluntarily sets a higher cap or limit.  All employees (not in construction) that are residents of Cook County and work at least eighty hours in any four month period for private employer (i.e. an employer with its principal place of business in Cook County or doing business within Cook County) will be eligible to earn paid sick leave. 

Challenges may be raised by home rule municipalities and some suburbs have indicated their respective suburbs may move forward on resolutions to exempt local business from the County ordinance.