Changes to Illinois Family Bereavement Leave

Changes to the Illinois Family Bereavement Act

The Family Bereavement Leave Act applies to employers who have 50 or more employees nationwide in 20 weeks or more during the current or preceding calendar year. Employees are eligible for bereavement leave if the employee:

• Has worked for the employer for a total of 12 months;
• Has worked at least 1,250 hours over the previous 12 months, and
• Works at a location where the employer has at least 50 employees within 75 miles.

Starting on January 1, 2023, eligible employees in Illinois are able to take up to 2 weeks of unpaid bereavement leave to:

• Attend the funeral or alternative of a funeral of a covered family member;
• Make arrangements necessitated by the death of a covered family member;
• To grieve the death of a covered family member; or
• Be absent from work due to:
  • a miscarriage;
  • an unsuccessful round of intrauterine insemination or of an assisted reproductive technology procedure;
  • a failed adoption match or an adoption that is not finalized because it is contested by another party;
  • a failed surrogacy agreement;
  • a diagnosis that negatively impacts pregnancy or fertility;
  • or a stillbirth.