Companion paid sick leave bills—House Bill 2771 and Senate Bill 1296 have advanced in both the Illinois House and Senate.
Under the proposals, all employers in the state would be required to provide five days of paid sick leave to employees per year. Part-time workers who log at least 20 hours each week would also be eligible. The bills would apply to businesses of any size, coming with a severely flawed assumption that all companies can afford to pay this benefit.
“Small business owners understand that people get sick, and they do their best to accommodate ailing workers, but we oppose this one-size-fits-all legislation,” Mark Grant, NFIB/IL state director, said in a statement. “Small businesses are hurt disproportionally with this mandate. They survive on the slimmest of margins and often have highly fluctuating revenue, as well as staffing needs. They have far fewer means to handle the increased costs that will certainly come with this mandate. That’s why NFIB is urging the full Senate and House to vote ‘no’ on both bills. Employers need flexibility when determining what type of leave benefits work best for them and their employees. SB1296 and HB2771 would take away that flexibility.”
Remember—you have an opportunity to speak out about this harmful mandate next week. Join in on April 26 for Employer Action Day and speak to your representatives about how these paid sick leave bills would impact your business.
