Paid Leave for All Workers (PLFAW)

This page is subject to change and will be updated as more information becomes available. Page updated: August 22, 2024. The PLFAW legislation went into effect on January 1, 2024, however the law allows a 90 day wait-period. The University of Illinois will implement PLFAW leave beginning March 31, 2024 for eligible employees, however some 9- and 10-month faculty in Urbana may be able to use this leave prior to March 31, 2024. Please consult with university or system human resource office for additional information.

Overview

The Illinois Paid Leave for All Workers Act (820 ILCS 192) (PLFAW), effective January 1, 2024, provides paid leave for Illinois workers to maintain their health and well-being, care for their families, or use for any other reason of their choosing. Eligible employees are entitled to earn and use up to 40 hours of paid leave each academic year. Employees must be scheduled to work in order to use Paid Leave for All Workers leave.

Eligibility and Earning Methodology

Employees in the following employment categories that do not receive vacation leave or Employee Requested Supervisor Approved (ERSA) leave are eligible for Paid Leave for All Workers leave:

Faculty with a 9-month or 10-month appointment or less

Academic Professionals with a 9-month or a 10-month appointment or less
Civil Service Extra Help
Civil Service Seasonal Extra Help
Academic Hourly
9-month Post Doctoral Research Associates

Student employees, including undergraduate and graduate students, do not earn Paid Leave for All Workers leave.

Employees with multiple positions should consult with their department/unit HR, System HR, UIS HR, or UI Health Leave Coordinator.

Employees in employment categories not listed above are generally not eligible for Paid Leave for All Workers leave if they are eligible for University of Illinois provided vacation or ERSA leave.

The University of Illinois is utilizing two (2) methods for which employees are provided PLFAW leave. In the front-loading method, forty (40) hours of PFLAW, or a pro-rated amount, at the start of each academic year. In the accrual method, employees earn one hour of PLFA leave for every forty (40) hours worked.

The methodology used is dependent on the location and employment classification of the employee.

Front-loaded Usage

Paid Leave for All Workers leave may be taken by an employee for any reason of the employee’s choosing. Employees are not required to provide their unit or supervisor with a reason for using the leave.

Employees are not allowed to use more than forty (40) hours of PLFAW leave in an academic year.

Eligible employees with front-loaded PLFAW will:

Receive a new allotment of forty (40) hours each August at the start of the academic year (Biweekly 19 or Monthly 9 pay period),
Have the academic year to use the leave, and
Not carry over to the next academic year.
Employees can use Paid Leave for All Workers leave in two (2) hour increments.
Employees who use this leave may not exceed their daily work schedule.
If an employee’s workday is less than two (2) hours in a given day, the employee’s scheduled workday will be used to determine the amount of paid leave.

New employees who start after the beginning of an academic year will receive forty (40) hours of leave frontloaded (prorated via FTE) that can be used during the remainder of the academic year, which may also be adjusted in the case of an appointment for less than a full appointment year. Employees whose leave is prorated for less than a full appointment year will be individually notified.

Accrual Usage

Eligible employees who accrue PLFAW will carry over unused PLFAW to the next academic year.

The amount carried over may not exceed forty (40) hours.
Employee use is limited to only forty (40) hours each academic year.
Employees can use Paid Leave for All Workers leave in two (2) hour increments.
Employees who use this leave may not exceed their daily work schedule.
If an employee’s workday is less than two (2) hours in a given day, the employee’s scheduled workday will be used to determine the amount of paid leave.

Denying Leave

The Paid Leave for All Workers Act allows employers to deny the use of leave in order to meet the employer’s core operational needs for the requested time period.

The specific reasons for being able to deny Paid Leave for All Workers at the University of Illinois are as follows:

The employee does not qualify for or has exhausted their Paid Leave for All Workers leave.
The employee is not scheduled to work during the period in which leave is being requested.
The employee is needed to fulfill minimum established staffing requirements in order to meet a legal, contractual, or accreditation obligation.
The employee’s absence will have a significant impact on the delivery of a service that is critical to the health, safety, or welfare of the University of Illinois.
The employee has instructional responsibilities during critical periods, including but not limited to the week prior to, and the week of, midterms and finals.
The employee is requesting leave in the week before the beginning of a semester and has a job function critical to the planning and preparation for the semester.
The employee has requested leave in a limited circumstance in which the employee’s services are absolutely necessary to a function that is core to the university’s operations during the period in question. Units should understand that a denial based on this reason should be used sparingly and only after consultation with university or system human resources.

The University of Illinois System maintains a record of each denied request and the employer’s reason for denial. An electronic denial system is under development. In the meantime, departments and/or supervisors denying leave must consult with their university HR, System HR, UIS HR, or UI Health Leave Coordinator about the required documentation to complete.

Other Provisions

Any unused Paid Leave for All Workers leave is forfeited and is not paid out when employment ends for any reason.

Employees using Paid Leave for All Workers leave are not required to search for or find a replacement worker to cover the hours during which the employee takes this leave.

The University of Illinois prohibits threatening to take or taking any adverse action against an employee because the employee (1) exercises rights or attempts to exercise rights under this Act, (2) opposes practices which the employee believes to be in violation of this Act, or (3) supports the exercise of rights of another under this Act. It is unlawful to consider the use of paid leave by an employee as a negative factor in any employment action that involves evaluating, promoting, or disciplining.

Requesting Leave

Employees should follow their departmental procedures to notify their supervisor about their intent to use PLFAW leave.

An employee is not required to provide the reason for the leave, nor to provide documentation as proof or in support of the leave. Employees are required to request and record their leave usage. Employees may contact their department/unit HR, System HR, UIS HR, or UI Health Leave Coordinator for instructions on how to record this leave.

If use of the leave is foreseeable, the employee should provide 7 days’ notice to their unit or supervisor.

If the need to use the leave is not foreseeable, the employee should alert their unit or supervisor as soon as practicable.

Supervisors denying leave must follow, and be familiar with, the “Denying Leave” section detailed above.