Cook County Paid Leave Ordinance and COVID-19

Cook County Paid Leave Ordinance and COVID-19

The COVID-19 Vaccination Rights for Employees and Employer Obligations Ordinance went into effect on July 1, 2021. Employers cannot require workers to get vaccinated outside of work hours. If an employer requires employees to be vaccinated and a COVID-19 vaccine appointment is during an employee's shift, the employee is to be compensated up to four hours per dose. If an employer does not require employees to be vaccinated, employees can use paid sick leave, or paid time off to get vaccinated. 

If you believe your employer/employee violated this policy, contact the Cook County Commission on Human Rights. To file a complaint related to the COVID-19 Vaccination Rights for Employees and Employer Obligations Ordinance, please complete the Paid Leave Complaint Form found on the File a Complaint for a Violation of the Paid Leave Ordinance page. 

COVID-19 Vaccination Rights for Employees

• Employers may not require you to get vaccinated outside of your working hours.
• If your employer requires you to be vaccinated, and your appointment is during your shift, you are to be compensated up to four hours per dose, at your regular rate. You are not required to use paid sick leave, or paid time off, to get vaccinated.
• If your employer does not require the COVID-19 vaccine, you can use paid sick leave, or paid time off, to get the vaccine.
• An employer may not require you to find someone to cover your hours in order to be vaccinated.
• Employers may not take adverse action, such as fire, demote, or retaliate against you for taking time off to get vaccinated.

COVID-19 Vaccination Employer Obligations

• An employer is any person employing one or more employees and does business within Cook County. This does not apply to any wholly-owned government entity.
• Employees legally can get vaccinated against COVID-19 during their shift.
• Employees are not required to find someone to cover their shift to get the vaccine.
• If the COVID-19 vaccine is mandatory for employment, employees are not required to use paid sick leave or paid time off. If their vaccine appointment is during normal working hours, they are to be compensated up to four hours at their regular rate.
• If the COVID-19 vaccine is not mandatory, employees may use paid sick leave, or paid time off, to get the vaccine.
• Employers are prohibited to discriminate or take adverse action against any employee for exercising these COVID-19 Vaccination rights.