Amendment of Municipal Code Titles 2, 4 and 6 by modifying various sections and adding new Chapter 6-130 entitled "Chicago Paid Leave and Paid Sick and Safe Leave Ordinance" (Final)

Votes › Workforce Development › 22nd Ward: Michael D. Rodriguez

• Record number: SO2023-0002980
• Type: Ordinance; category: Municipal Code Amendments
• Status: Final
• Sponsor: Michael D. Rodriguez (22nd Ward)
• Co-sponsors (30): Burnett, Jr., Walter, Felix Cardona Jr. (31st Ward), Peter Chico (10th Ward), Angela Clay (46th Ward), Stephanie D. Coleman (16th Ward), Ruth Cruz (30th Ward), Derrick G. Curtis (18th Ward), Jessica L. Fuentes (26th Ward), Jeylú B. Gutiérrez (14th Ward), Maria E. Hadden (49th Ward), William E. Hall (6th Ward), Johnson, Brandon, Daniel La Spata (1st Ward), Leni Manaa-Hoppenworth (48th Ward), Matthew J. Martin (47th Ward), Emma Mitts (37th Ward), Ronnie L. Mosley (21st Ward), Anthony V. Napolitano (41st Ward), Samantha Nugent (39th Ward), Julia M. Ramirez (12th Ward), Ramirez-Rosa, Carlos, Lamont J. Robinson (4th Ward), Rossana Rodríguez Sánchez (33rd Ward), Byron Sigcho-López (25th Ward), Debra L. Silverstein (50th Ward), Chris Taliaferro (29th Ward), Jeanette B. Taylor (20th Ward), Andre Vasquez Jr. (40th Ward), Gilbert Villegas (36th Ward), Desmon C. Yancy (5th Ward)
• Committee: Committee on Workforce Development
• Introduction Date: Jul 19, 2023
• Final Action Date: Nov 9, 2023
• Official record: Office of the City Clerk

Roll call: Passed Nov 9, 2023

36 yea, 12 nay, 1 absent. This was a divided vote. On motion of Alderperson Rodriguez, and unsuccessful motion to reconsider by Alderperson Mitchell, the matter was Passed. Voted at the City Council meeting of Nov 9, 2023.

Nay (12): Brian Hopkins (2), Gregory I. Mitchell (7), Anthony Beale (9), Raymond A. Lopez (15), David H. Moore (17), Matthew J. O'Shea (19), Silvana Tabares (23), William Conway (34), Nicholas Sposato (38), Anthony V. Napolitano (41), Brendan Reilly (42), Bennett R. Lawson (44)

Yea (36): Daniel La Spata (1), Pat Dowell (3), Lamont J. Robinson (4), Desmon C. Yancy (5), William E. Hall (6), Michelle A. Harris (8), Peter Chico (10), Nicole T. Lee (11), Julia M. Ramirez (12), Marty Quinn (13), Jeylú B. Gutiérrez (14), Stephanie D. Coleman (16), Derrick G. Curtis (18), Jeanette B. Taylor (20), Ronnie L. Mosley (21), Michael D. Rodriguez (22), Monique L. Scott (24), Byron Sigcho-López (25), Jessica L. Fuentes (26), Walter R. Burnett (27), Jason C. Ervin (28), Chris Taliaferro (29), Ruth Cruz (30), Felix Cardona Jr. (31), Rossana Rodríguez Sánchez (33), Gilbert Villegas (36), Emma Mitts (37), Samantha Nugent (39), Andre Vasquez Jr. (40), Timothy R. Knudsen (43), Angela Clay (46), Matthew J. Martin (47), Leni Manaa-Hoppenworth (48), Maria E. Hadden (49), Debra L. Silverstein (50), Carlos Ramirez-Rosa (former member)

Absent (1): Scott Waguespack (32)

Not voting (1): James M. Gardiner (45)

Plain-language summary

Written by AI (@cf/openai/gpt-oss-120b) from the ordinance text only: First Proffered Substitute of SO2023-0002980.pdf. AI can make mistakes; the official document always wins.

The City Council added a new Chapter 6-130 that gives workers in Chicago the right to paid leave and paid sick leave, and it created an Office of Labor Standards to enforce these rules. Employers must track, provide, and pay out unused leave, keep health coverage during leave, and face penalties like license denial or loss of city contracts for violations.

• A new Office of Labor Standards is established to investigate and enforce wage, sick leave, and paid leave laws.
• All covered employees, including domestic workers and city employees, must receive paid leave and paid sick leave with specific accrual and usage rules.
• Employers must post notices, report violations, and pay out unused leave when employment ends, while maintaining health coverage during leave.
• Violations can lead to license denial, suspension, revocation, or being barred from city contracts.
• The Director must post annual enforcement data and submit yearly reports to City Council.

Who: The ordinance affects covered employees in Chicago, such as domestic workers and city staff, and the employers who hire them.

Where: Chicago

Impact report

Written by AI from the official document. AI can make mistakes; the official document always wins.

Chicago would require most employers to give workers in the city both paid sick leave and paid leave that can be used for any reason, earning one hour of each for every 35 hours worked, up to 48 hours of each per year.

Who it affects

• Workers in Chicago: Workers who do at least two hours of work in the city in a two-week period would earn up to 48 hours of paid sick leave and 48 hours of paid leave for any reason each year.
• Employers of all sizes: Any business with at least one employee would have to provide both types of leave, post notices, show leave balances each payday, keep records for five years, and pay out unused paid leave when a worker leaves.
• Domestic workers: Housekeepers, nannies, caregivers, and similar workers would be covered whether they are employees or independent contractors, and the city would study a portable leave plan that follows them across jobs.
• City and Sister Agency employees: Workers for the City, Chicago Public Schools, Park District, CTA, City Colleges, Chicago Housing Authority, and Public Building Commission would be covered, with Chicago Public Schools starting July 1, 2024.
• Unionized construction workers: Construction workers covered by a real collective bargaining agreement would not be covered, and other union contracts could waive the rules only if they say so clearly.
• Interns, City seasonal workers, and OEMC traffic staff: Employers could set separate paid leave rules for these workers that do not have to follow this chapter.

What changes

• Workers would earn one hour of paid sick leave and one hour of paid leave for every 35 hours worked, up to 48 hours of each per year.
• Workers could use paid sick leave after 30 days on the job and paid leave after 90 days, and could carry over up to 80 hours of sick leave and 24 hours of paid leave.
• Workers could use paid leave for any reason without explaining why, though employers may require up to seven days' notice and preapproval.
• Employers could not ask for a doctor's note or other proof of sick leave unless the worker is out more than three days in a row.
• Each payday, workers would get a written update showing how much paid leave and sick leave they have.

Money

• Employers who break the rules would be fined $1,000 to $3,000 per offense, with each day counting as a separate offense.
• Employers who fail to post or hand out the required notice would be fined $500 for the first violation and $1,000 for later violations.
• Employers who violate the rules would owe the affected worker three times the leave denied or lost, plus interest, court costs, and attorney's fees.
• Employers would pay workers for unused, earned paid leave (not sick leave) at their final rate of pay when they leave the job or transfer outside the city.
• Paid leave would be paid at the worker's regular rate, never less than the highest of the base wage or the federal, Illinois, or Chicago minimum wage.

Where: City of Chicago

When: December 31, 2023; for Chicago Public Schools, July 1, 2024. Workers' right to sue under the new chapter begins July 1, 2024.

Timeline

• Jul 19, 2023: Referred, City Council. The matter was referred.
• Nov 2, 2023: Recommended to Pass, Committee on Workforce Development. The matter was recommended to Pass by controlling legislative body after a 2nd Substitution of Ordinanceon Nov 2.
• Nov 7, 2023: Deferred and Published, City Council. On request of Alderpersons Hopkins, Beale and Reilly, the matter was Deferred and Published.
• Nov 9, 2023: Passed, City Council (36 yea, 12 nay), at the City Council meeting. On motion of Alderperson Rodriguez, and unsuccessful motion to reconsider by Alderperson Mitchell, the matter was Passed.

Documents

• Original Ordinance paid leave.pdf (Miscellaneous)
• First Proffered Substitute of SO2023-0002980.pdf (Miscellaneous)
• Committee Transmittal Letter for Nov 7.pdf (Committee Letter)
• SO2023-0002980 Substitute Paid Leave and Paid Sick Leave Ordinance 11.2.23 FINAL.pdf (Legislation)

Lobbying and money

Computed links; money near a vote is not evidence that it influenced the vote.

Who lobbied on it

• Equality Illinois: IN SUPPORT OF SO2023-2980 (PAID TIME OFF ORDINANCE) (1 filing, Oct 1, 2023 to Dec 31, 2023; Michael Ziri; matched by record number)
• Illinois Restaurant Association: DISCUSSED PAID LEAVE, PAID SICK LEAVE, AND SAFE LEAVE ORDINANCE (2 filings, Jan 1, 2024 to Jun 30, 2024; Mary Kay Bonoma; matched by semantic tfidf)
• Illinois Restaurant Association: PUBLIC COMMENT ON PAID LEAVE, PAID SICK LEAVE, AND SAFE LEAVE ORDINANCE (1 filing, Jan 1, 2024 to Mar 31, 2024; Sam Toia; matched by semantic tfidf)
• Women Employed: �? 4/3/2023 MEETING RE: AMEND CHICAGO�?S PAID SICK LEAVE ORDINANCE TO ALIGN WITH NEW STATE LAW (1 filing, Apr 1, 2023 to Jun 30, 2023; Christina Warden; matched by semantic embedding)
• United Airlines: PAID SICK LEAVE ORDINANCE (1 filing, Oct 1, 2023 to Dec 31, 2023; Margaret Houlihan Smith; matched by semantic tfidf)
• Women Employed: ESTABLISH PAID LEAVE AND PAID SICK AND SAFE DAYS FOR CHICAGO WORKERS (1 filing, Oct 1, 2023 to Dec 31, 2023; Christina Warden; matched by semantic tfidf)
• Seiu Local 1: PAID SICK LEAVE ORDINANCE (1 filing, Jan 1, 2024 to Mar 31, 2024; Genie Kastrup; matched by semantic tfidf)
• Women Employed: SUCCESSFUL IMPLEMENTATION OF PAID LEAVE AND PAID SICK AND SAFE DAYS (1 filing, Apr 1, 2024 to Jun 30, 2024; Christina Warden; matched by semantic tfidf)

Money from these interests in the 365 days before the vote

Related legislation

More from Michael D. Rodriguez

• Exemption from physical barrier requirement for commercial driveway alley access for J&J Auto (O2026-0028926, introduced Sep 23, 2026, Passed)
• Amendment of Annual Appropriation Ordinance to transfer funds within Committee on Workforce Development for Year 2026 (SO2026-0028812, introduced Sep 23, 2026, Passed as Substitute)
• Amendment of Municipal Code Section 9-64-206 establishing hours of operation for parking meters at various locations (O2026-0028790, introduced Sep 23, 2026, Passed as Substitute)

More on Municipal Code Amendments

• Amendment of Municipal Code Section 9-24-065 regarding ability to pay pilot program (O2026-0029654, introduced Dec 8, 2026, Council Introduction)
• Amendment of Municipal Code Titles 3, 4 and 8 regarding technical and scriveners' corrections (2027 Municipal Code Corrections Ordinance) (O2026-0029649, introduced Oct 21, 2026, Referred)
• Amendment of Municipal Code Titles 2, 4, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 14A, 15, 17 regarding management, structure, powers and functions of various… (O2026-0029644, introduced Oct 21, 2026, Referred)

Sources and methods: how we get and count this data · report an error