Illinois break, overtime and sick leave rules

Meal and rest breaks, overtime and paid sick leave in Illinois, in plain words. Last reviewed October 31, 2026. Not legal advice.

The rules in Illinois#

Meal breaks: At least 20 minutes, starting no later than 5 hours into the work period, for employees working 7.5 continuous hours or more. Hotel room attendants in counties over 3 million people get a 30‑minute meal period on days they work at least 7 hours.
Rest breaks: No general paid rest break rule for adults. Narrow exception: hotel room attendants in counties over 3 million people get two paid 15‑minute breaks on days they work at least 7 hours.
Overtime: 1.5 times the regular rate after 40 hours in a workweek, for employers of 4 or more employees (excluding family members). No daily overtime, double time or seventh‑day rule.
Paid sick leave: Yes, as general paid leave usable for any reason (Paid Leave for All Workers Act). Employees earn at least 1 hour per 40 hours worked, up to 40 hours in a 12‑month period.

Oh! Thyme has a Illinois rule set, turned on for your company at setup. On every shift it checks:

Overtime after 40 hours in a workweek
A 20‑minute meal break that starts by the end of hour 5
Sick leave balances build from approved hours at the rate set for each person, such as 1 hour per 30 worked, stop at their cap, and come down when time off is approved.

A day that breaks a rule is flagged for the approver before the hours go to payroll.

Not checked in Illinois: the separate rules for hotel room attendants in large counties.