Illinois: Paid Leave for Military Funeral Honors Detail
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APPLIES TO Employers with 51+ Employees in IL |
EFFECTIVE August 1, 2025 |
QUESTIONS? Contact HR On-Call |
Quick Look
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Discussion
Effective August 1, 2025, SB 220 amends the Illinois Military Leave Act to provide eligible employees with up to 40 hours of paid leave for serving on a funeral honors detail. The most significant components of the law are summarized below.
Covered Employer. This specific leave applies only to employers with 51 or more employees. The Military Leave Act generally applies to all employers.
Covered Employee. Eligible employees are those who are trained to participate in a funeral honors detail at the funeral of a veteran. In addition, they are either: (1) a retired or active member of the armed forces or a member of a reserve component of the U.S. armed forces, including the Illinois National Guard; or (2) an authorized provider, or a registered member of an organization that is an authorized provider, including a member of a veterans service organization. An authorized provider is defined as an individual or group recognized by the armed forces, who are not service members or employees of the U.S. government and who augment the uniformed members of a military funeral honors detail. Examples include, but are not limited to, veterans service organizations, trained volunteers of the Reserve Officer Training Corps, honor guards, and other appropriate individuals and organizations that support the rendering of military funeral honors.
Usage. Employees can use up to eight hours per calendar month to participate in a funeral honors detail, up to a total of 40 hours per calendar year. Employers or collective bargaining agreements can provide for more leave. Employees do not have to exhaust or use vacation, personal, compensatory, sick, disability or any other leave prior to using funeral honors detail leave. This includes leave under Illinois’ Paid Leave for All Workers. Funeral honors detail leave is in addition to other forms of leave.
Notice. Employees only have to provide reasonable notice, as practicable, prior to taking leave.
Documentation. Employers may request confirmation from the relevant veterans service organization or any official notice provided to the employee as proof of the employee’s participation in the funeral honors detail.
Pay. Employees must be paid their regular rate of pay for leave taken.
Exceptions. Employers at an independent living facility, assisted living facility, nursing home facility, or other similar congregate care facility or at a facility providing 24/7 care can deny leave if it would reduce staffing levels to below the established minimum or impair the safe and efficient operations of the facility. This exception does not apply if denying leave would violate the terms and conditions of a collective bargaining agreement.
Action Items
- Review and update military leave policies.
- Have appropriate personnel trained on the requirements.
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