Employee Handbook

EMPLOYEE HANDBOOK

State of Illinois

[COMPANY LEGAL NAME]

Effective Date: [MM/DD/YYYY]

TABLE OF CONTENTS

1. Handbook Status and Administration
2. Equal Employment, Accommodation, and Training
3. Wage, Hour, Payday, Meal, and Rest Policies
4. Paid, Family, Safety, Court, Voting, and Company Leave
5. Safety and Workers' Compensation
6. Records, Employment Eligibility, and Protected Activity
7. Conduct, Attendance, and Corrective Action
8. Separation of Employment
9. Administration and Acknowledgment

1. HANDBOOK STATUS AND ADMINISTRATION

1.1 Purpose and Scope

This Handbook states the general policies of [Company Legal Name] (the “Company”) for Employees working in Illinois. It must be completed for the Company's workforce, locations, industry, benefits, and any collective bargaining agreement before distribution.

1.2 Not a Contract; Employment Relationship

This Handbook is not an employment contract, a promise of employment for a fixed term, or a guarantee that any particular corrective-action step will be used. Unless a signed agreement, collective bargaining agreement, or applicable law provides otherwise, either the Employee or the Company may end employment at any time. Only [AUTHORIZED TITLE] may sign an agreement changing that relationship.

1.3 Reporting Channels and Anti-Retaliation

An Employee may report a concern orally or in writing to [SUPERVISOR], [HR CONTACT], or [ALTERNATE/ETHICS CONTACT], and may bypass anyone involved in the concern. The Company will respond promptly and impartially and prohibits retaliation for good-faith reports, accommodation requests, wage complaints, protected leave, jury service, voting leave, safety reports, workers' compensation activity, participation in an investigation, or other legally protected conduct.

1.4 Definitions, Coverage, and Local-Law Review

“Employee” means an individual employed by the Company, whether full-time, part-time, temporary, or seasonal. A statute or benefit plan may use a different eligibility definition.

“Workweek” means the fixed seven-day period beginning at [DAY/TIME] and ending at [DAY/TIME] for payroll and overtime purposes.

Complete before issue:

• Work location in Chicago: ☐ Yes ☐ No
• Work location elsewhere in Cook County: ☐ Yes ☐ No
• Paid Leave for All Workers Act coverage and any exemption reviewed: ☐ Yes ☐ No
• Fifty or more Employees for FMLA, family-bereavement, and school-visitation review: ☐ Yes ☐ No
• VESSA tier: ☐ 1–14 Employees ☐ 15–49 Employees ☐ 50+ Employees
• Workers' compensation coverage secured: ☐ Yes ☐ No
• Collective bargaining agreement applies: ☐ Yes ☐ No

Human Resources must separately review every municipal and county ordinance applicable to an Employee's work location. This state template does not substitute for a Chicago, Cook County, or other local overlay.

2. EQUAL EMPLOYMENT, ACCOMMODATION, AND TRAINING

2.1 Equal Employment Opportunity

The Company prohibits discrimination, harassment, and retaliation based on race, color, ancestry, national origin, disability, religion, sex, sexual orientation including gender identity, age forty or older, marital status, pregnancy including childbirth and related conditions, reproductive health decisions, family responsibilities, military status, unfavorable military discharge, citizenship status, work authorization status, order-of-protection status, language, arrest record, conviction record where protected, genetic information, or any other status protected by Company policy or applicable law.

Employment decisions will be based on lawful job-related considerations. Human Resources will apply the Illinois Human Rights Act, federal law, and any broader local ordinance.

2.2 Complaint Procedure

Employees should report discrimination, harassment, retaliation, or an accommodation need to [HR CONTACT] or [ALTERNATE CONTACT]. Reports will be addressed promptly and as confidentially as reasonably possible. Employees may contact a government agency or pursue another protected remedy without first exhausting this internal process.

2.3 Disability, Religion, and Pregnancy Accommodation

The Company will engage in an appropriate interactive process and provide reasonable accommodation when required for disability, religion, pregnancy, childbirth, or a related medical condition. Human Resources must evaluate each request under the law that provides the Employee the greatest applicable protection.

2.4 Sexual-Harassment Prevention Training

Every Employee working in Illinois must complete Company-provided sexual-harassment prevention training at least annually. Restaurants and bars must use any additional industry-specific training required by the Illinois Human Rights Act and Illinois Department of Human Rights guidance.

2.5 Paid Nursing Breaks and Space

For one year after a child's birth, the Company will provide reasonable break time whenever an Employee needs to express milk and an appropriate private space other than a toilet stall. Beginning January 1, 2026, Illinois law requires the break to be paid at the Employee's regular rate, prohibits requiring use of paid leave, and prohibits reducing compensation because of the break, unless the statutory undue-hardship exception applies.

3. WAGE, HOUR, PAYDAY, MEAL, AND REST POLICIES

3.1 Classification and Minimum Wage

Human Resources will classify workers based on actual duties and the working relationship, not labels alone. Salaried status by itself does not establish an exemption.

Illinois' minimum wage is $15.00 per hour for workers age eighteen and older. The current tipped cash wage is $9.00 per hour, and the current youth rate is $13.00 per hour for an Employee under eighteen who works fewer than 650 hours in a calendar year. The Company will pay the highest applicable federal, state, local, contractual, or Company rate. A tip credit, youth rate, license, or exemption may be used only after written payroll and legal review.

3.2 Timekeeping and Overtime

Non-exempt Employees must accurately record all time worked, including authorized or unauthorized work before or after a shift, remote work, compensable travel, training, interrupted meals, and work communications. Working off the clock is prohibited, but all time actually worked must be recorded and paid.

Covered non-exempt Employees will receive one and one-half times the regular rate for hours worked over forty in a Workweek when required by Illinois or federal law. Overtime should be approved in advance, but lack of approval does not permit unpaid work.

3.3 Paydays, Statements, and Deductions

The pay frequency is [WEEKLY / BIWEEKLY / SEMIMONTHLY], and payday is [____]. Employees generally will be paid at least semimonthly and no later than thirteen days after the end of the pay period. Human Resources must separately review the lawful schedule for executive, administrative, professional, commission, and other special pay arrangements.

Employees must promptly review each itemized wage statement and report a suspected error to [PAYROLL CONTACT]. The Company will make deductions required by law and deductions supported by the Employee's valid consent or another lawful basis under the Illinois Wage Payment and Collection Act.

3.4 Meal Periods and Restroom Breaks

Subject to statutory exemptions, an Employee who works 7.5 continuous hours or longer will receive a meal period of at least 20 minutes beginning no later than five hours after the shift starts. The Employee will receive an additional twenty-minute meal period for every additional 4.5 continuous hours worked. Reasonable restroom breaks will be provided in addition to meal periods.

Any work during an unpaid meal period must be reported and paid. Short rest periods of five through twenty minutes will be treated as paid work time when provided as rest breaks rather than a statutory meal period.

3.5 Day of Rest

Subject to statutory exemptions and permits, the Company will provide at least twenty-four consecutive hours of rest during every consecutive seven-day period. Human Resources must obtain any required Illinois Department of Labor permit before scheduling covered Employees to work a seventh consecutive day.

3.6 Vacation and General PTO

The Company's written policy is:

• Accrual method: [____]
• Carryover or cap: [____]
• Permitted uses: [____]
• Separation payout rule: [____]
• Scheduling and approval rules: [____]

Vacation promised under a Company policy or agreement may be final compensation under Illinois wage law. Human Resources must distinguish vacation from leave governed solely by the Paid Leave for All Workers Act and apply any local paid-leave ordinance.

4. PAID, FAMILY, SAFETY, COURT, VOTING, AND COMPANY LEAVE

4.1 Paid Leave for All Workers Act

If the Company and Employee are covered by the Paid Leave for All Workers Act, the Employee will accrue at least one hour of paid leave for every forty hours worked, up to forty hours in a designated twelve-month period, or receive a compliant frontloaded amount. Leave may be used for any reason, and the Company will not require the Employee to disclose a reason or provide documentation for statutory leave.

Use generally begins after ninety days of employment. The Company's written PLAWA policy must state the twelve-month period, accrual or frontloading method, increments, notice rules, operational-necessity limits, carryover treatment, records, and interaction with other leave. Human Resources must separately determine whether Chicago, Cook County, a collective bargaining agreement, or another statutory exemption changes the rule.

4.2 Federal Family and Medical Leave

The FMLA applies to private employers with fifty or more Employees in at least twenty workweeks in the current or preceding calendar year and to covered public employers. An Employee generally must have twelve months of service, 1,250 hours worked in the prior twelve months, and fifty Employees within seventy-five miles of the worksite.

Eligible Employees may receive up to twelve workweeks of unpaid, job-protected leave for qualifying family, medical, and military-exigency reasons and up to twenty-six workweeks in a single twelve-month period for qualifying military-caregiver leave. A separate FMLA policy and required notices control administration.

4.3 Family Bereavement Leave

For a covered public employer or private employer with fifty or more Employees, an eligible Employee may take up to ten workdays of unpaid leave for a covered family member's death or for a qualifying pregnancy, fertility, adoption, or surrogacy loss or diagnosis. The maximum is six weeks for more than one qualifying event in a twelve-month period.

Eligibility generally requires 1,250 hours of service in the preceding twelve months. Leave must be completed within sixty days after notice of the event, and forty-eight hours' notice is required unless impracticable. Human Resources will use only documentation permitted by law and coordinate this leave with FMLA.

4.4 VESSA Leave and Safety Accommodation

An Employee or qualifying family or household member affected by domestic violence, sexual violence, gender violence, another crime of violence, or a qualifying violent death may request unpaid VESSA leave and related safety accommodation. The maximum leave in a twelve-month period is:

• Four workweeks for an employer with 1–14 Employees;
• Eight workweeks for an employer with 15–49 Employees; or
• Twelve workweeks for an employer with 50 or more Employees.

Leave may be consecutive, intermittent, or on a reduced schedule. Human Resources will administer notice, certification, confidentiality, restoration, coordination with other leave, and reasonable accommodation under the current statute and required notice.

4.5 School Visitation Leave

If the Company employs fifty or more individuals in Illinois, an Employee with at least six months of service who works at least half-time may receive up to eight hours of unpaid school-visitation leave per school year, no more than four hours in one day, when the school event cannot be scheduled outside work.

The Employee must first exhaust accrued leave other than sick or disability leave, provide seven days' written notice or twenty-four hours in an emergency, and furnish the school documentation required by law.

4.6 Jury Service

An Employee must deliver a copy of a jury summons to [CONTACT] within ten days after the summons was issued and follow reasonable call-in procedures. The Company will provide time off regardless of shift, will not require a night-shift Employee to work while serving during the day, and will not discharge, threaten, intimidate, or coerce an Employee because of jury service.

Jury-service leave is [PAID / UNPAID] under Company policy; Illinois law does not require wage continuation.

4.7 Voting Leave

An Employee entitled to vote in a covered Illinois election may request leave before election day. The Company may designate the time but will permit a two-hour absence during working hours if the Employee's shift begins less than two hours after polls open and ends less than two hours before polls close. The Company will not penalize the Employee or reduce compensation for the protected absence.

4.8 Military and Other Protected Leave

The Company will provide military leave, nondiscrimination, and reemployment rights required by USERRA and the Illinois Service Member Employment and Reemployment Rights Act. Human Resources will also evaluate requests under PLAWA, FMLA, VESSA, family bereavement, school visitation, jury, voting, workers' compensation, and other protected-leave laws.

4.9 Company Leave

5. SAFETY AND WORKERS' COMPENSATION

5.1 Workplace Safety

Employees must follow safety rules, use required protective equipment, and promptly report hazards, injuries, and illnesses to [CONTACT]. The Company prohibits retaliation for a good-faith safety or injury report.

5.2 Workers' Compensation

Unless a rare exception applies, an Illinois employer with even one part-time Employee must obtain workers' compensation insurance. Coverage applies from the time the Employee is hired. Employees should report a work-related injury or illness immediately so the Company can meet insurance, notice, recordkeeping, and reporting duties.

5.3 Drug, Alcohol, Violence, and Weapons

The Company policy is [NO TESTING / SEPARATE TESTING POLICY ATTACHED]. This Handbook alone does not establish a drug-testing program. Threats, violence, and unauthorized weapons are prohibited in Company buildings, work areas, and Company-owned vehicles to the extent permitted by law. Human Resources must review the Illinois Concealed Carry Act and other applicable law before searching a private vehicle or acting on a report about a lawfully stored weapon.

6. RECORDS, EMPLOYMENT ELIGIBILITY, AND PROTECTED ACTIVITY

6.1 Employment Eligibility Verification

The Company will complete and retain federal Form I-9 for each covered hire and will allow the Employee to choose from legally acceptable documents. The Company will not demand a particular document or use the process for unlawful discrimination.

6.2 Confidentiality and Lawful Disclosures

Employees must protect legitimate confidential and trade-secret information learned through work. This policy does not prohibit an Employee from reporting suspected unlawful conduct to a government agency or attorney, cooperating in an investigation, discussing wages or working conditions where protected, or engaging in other legally protected activity.

6.3 Personnel and Medical Records

The Company will maintain payroll, leave, accommodation, medical, testing, and personnel records with access limited to legitimate business and legal needs. Protected medical and VESSA information will be stored separately or treated confidentially when required. Human Resources will administer Employee requests under the current Illinois Personnel Record Review Act.

7. CONDUCT, ATTENDANCE, AND CORRECTIVE ACTION

7.1 Expected Conduct

Employees must perform assigned duties safely and honestly; comply with lawful policies; accurately record time and business records; protect Company, customer, and coworker property; avoid unlawful harassment, threats, or violence; and disclose actual conflicts of interest to [HR/COMPLIANCE].

7.2 Attendance and Call-In

Employees unable to report as scheduled must notify [CONTACT] by [METHOD] at least [____] before the shift when practicable. This policy will be administered consistently with accommodation, PLAWA, FMLA, VESSA, family bereavement, jury, voting, military, workers' compensation, and other protected-absence laws.

7.3 Corrective Action

The Company may use coaching, verbal warning, written warning, final warning, suspension, or termination. It may select or skip steps based on the circumstances. This policy does not create a contract or authorize action for a protected reason.

8. SEPARATION OF EMPLOYMENT

8.1 Notice and Return of Property

Employees are requested, but not required by this Handbook, to provide [____] days' resignation notice. At separation, Employees must return Company property and records. The Company will not withhold earned wages or final compensation as leverage for a disputed debt or unreturned property outside a deduction permitted by law.

8.2 Final Pay and Benefits

All final compensation, including earned wages, commissions, bonuses, and vacation pay due under a policy or agreement, will be paid no later than the next regularly scheduled payday. Severance, sick pay, holiday pay, expenses, and benefits will be handled under the governing written policy, plan, agreement, and applicable law.

9. ADMINISTRATION AND ACKNOWLEDGMENT

9.1 Policy Administration

The Company may prospectively revise policies in writing, subject to applicable law, earned wages and leave, contracts, and collective bargaining agreements. If a policy conflicts with controlling law, the law controls and the policy will be administered as closely as possible to its lawful purpose.

9.2 No Mandatory Internal Exhaustion

Employees are encouraged to use internal reporting channels, but nothing in this Handbook requires an Employee to waive or delay a right to contact a government agency, file a charge, report a crime, seek emergency assistance, consult counsel, discuss wages or working conditions where protected, or pursue another protected remedy.

9.3 Separate Agreements

Any arbitration, restrictive-covenant, invention-assignment, confidentiality, commission, bonus, drug-testing, or employment agreement must be separately drafted and reviewed for current Illinois, local, and federal law. This Handbook itself does not impose arbitration, a jury waiver, employee indemnity, a damages cap, attorney-fee shifting, an exclusive court forum, or a force-majeure excuse from wage, leave, safety, or insurance obligations.

ACKNOWLEDGMENT OF RECEIPT

I, [EMPLOYEE NAME], acknowledge that I received the [Company Legal Name] Employee Handbook effective [MM/DD/YYYY] and understand that I am expected to follow its lawful policies. I understand that this acknowledgment and the Handbook are not employment contracts and do not promise employment for a fixed term.

Sources and References

• Illinois Department of Labor — Minimum Wage Law
• Illinois Department of Labor — Wage Payment and Collection Act FAQ
• Illinois Department of Labor — One Day Rest in Seven Act
• Illinois Department of Labor — Paid Leave for All Workers Act
• Illinois Department of Labor — Paid Leave for All Workers Act FAQ
• Illinois Department of Human Rights — Employment Rights
• Illinois Department of Human Rights — Required Annual Sexual-Harassment Training
• Illinois General Assembly — 820 ILCS 260, Nursing Mothers in the Workplace Act
• Illinois Department of Labor — Family Bereavement Leave Act
• Illinois Department of Labor — VESSA 2026 Notice
• Illinois Department of Labor — School Visitation Rights
• Illinois General Assembly — 705 ILCS 305/4.1, Jury Service
• Illinois General Assembly — 10 ILCS 5/17-15, Voting Leave
• Illinois General Assembly — 820 ILCS 40, Personnel Record Review Act
• Illinois Workers' Compensation Commission — Insurance Requirements
• U.S. Department of Labor — FLSA Hours Worked
• U.S. Department of Labor — FLSA Overtime
• U.S. Department of Labor — FMLA Frequently Asked Questions
• U.S. Department of Labor — USERRA Rights
• USCIS — Completing Form I-9