Illinois recently passed several new employment laws that will significantly impact workplaces starting in 2026. Key changes include:
- Family Neonatal Intensive Care Leave: Employers to provide up to 20 days of unpaid leave for parents with infants in the NICU.
- Worker Safety Protections: Stronger safety enforcement by Illinois Department of Labor if federal OSHA standards are weakened.
- Expanded Workplace Protections: Updates to employment contracts, confidentiality agreements, and discrimination laws, including restrictions on shortening statutes of limitation or requiring out-of-state dispute resolution.
- New Employee Rights: Additional protections for nursing mothers, organ donors, military funeral detail participants, and victims recording violent crimes on employer-issued equipment.
- Child-Care Workers: Criminal background checks required every five years.
Employers should review their current policies and practices to ensure they comply with the new Illinois employment laws. This includes updating leave policies, workplace safety protocols, transparency measures, separation agreements, nursing mother breaks, and other employment-related procedures as needed.
To help with this, our employment attorneys can help guide you through these new regulations and help ensure your business meets all the requirements. Schedule a compliance review to protect your company. Email us at attorneys@buckleyfinelaw.com or call 847-381-0011.
Buckley Fine Honored in Chambers USA:
Spotlight Illinois Guide 2026
Chambers and Partners has recognized Buckley Fine Law in their USA: Spotlight Guide 2026 for our Corporate/Commercial practice area. This distinction reflects our commitment to advising mid‑market, privately owned businesses on complex corporate matters, including M&A, business formation, succession planning, and commercial real estate. We are grateful to our clients and peers for their support and continued trust in our team, which makes this recognition possible.
View our listing:
Buckley Fine, LLC, Corporate/Commercial | Chambers USA: Spotlight Profile
To explore how Buckley Fine can deliver strategic counsel for your business, contact us at attorneys@buckleyfinelaw.com or 847-381-0011.