Bill
HB 2946
Creates a state-administered Family and Medical Leave Insurance program in Illinois to provide paid leave for medical, family care, childbirth, and military caregiver needs.
Status and procedural history
- Introduced by Rep. Sonya M. Harper (filed 02/05/2025; first reading 02/06/2025).
- Assigned to Rules, Labor & Commerce, then Human Services; re-referred under Rule 19(a) on 03/21/2025.
- Reported out of committee (DP) in June 2025; passed the House 06/26/2025 and transmitted to the Senate 06/27/2025.
- Companion bill: SB 1661.
- Effective date (statutory): January 1, 2027.
Purpose and intent
- Establishes a statewide, state-administered Family and Medical Leave Insurance (FMLI) Program to provide paid benefits to eligible workers who need leave for their own serious medical condition, to care for family members, to bond with a new child (birth, adoption, foster), for pregnancy-related conditions, and certain military caregiver needs. The declaration emphasizes economic hardship from unpaid leave and disparities in access to paid leave.
Key provisions
- Program administration: Directs the Illinois Department of Employment Security (IDES) to establish and run the Family and Medical Leave Insurance Program.
- New fund/account: Creates a Family and Medical Leave Insurance Account (amendment to State Finance Act) to collect premiums and pay benefits.
- Eligibility and benefits: Defines terms (e.g., “average weekly wage,” “benefit year,” “care,” “child”) and sets eligibility rules, benefit year (52 weeks), and procedures to calculate average weekly wage. The bill sets the framework for benefit amounts and duration (specific percent/maximums are referenced in the Act but are not included in the excerpt).
- Premiums and financing: Establishes premium payment requirements, collection phase-in periods, rules for defaulted premium payments, and mechanisms for recovery of erroneous payments.
- Coverage options: Provides for elective coverage for self‑employed individuals to opt into the program.
- Employment protections and coordination: Includes employment protection (job restoration) provisions and coordination rules with other leave laws (e.g., federal FMLA) and employer-provided leave.
- Administrative process: Includes procedures for hearings, disqualification, and appeals.
Who is affected
- Employees residing or working in Illinois who meet the eligibility criteria (including some provisions allowing self-employed persons to elect coverage).
- Employers and covered business entities (responsible for premium collection/ remittance and compliance with job-protection provisions).
- IDES (new administrative responsibilities) and the State Treasury (new fund).
Implementation timeline
- Establishes phase-in periods for premium collection and for when claims may first be made; program to become effective January 1, 2027. Specific phase-in dates and benefit start dates are in the Act’s implementation provisions.
Notes/limitations
- The bill text excerpt contains comprehensive definitions and program structure but the precise benefit formula (percentage of wages paid, cap amounts, and maximum weeks) are not shown in the provided text. Those numeric details will be critical to understand fiscal impact and worker benefit levels and should be reviewed in the full bill text or fiscal notes.
Compiled from official sources — confirm details with the bill’s official record.
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