MARCH 2026  17 
KEY TAKEAWAYS
•	 New amendments significantly restrict how employers 
draft employment, separation, and settlement agreements.
•	 Expanded leave laws require immediate policy and 
handbook updates.
•	 New AI restrictions directly impact recruiting, hiring, 
and other employment decisions, with notice and anti-
discrimination requirements.
and Workplace Agreements
Act was amended. House Bill 1616 
(Public Act 104-0193) updates the 
Employee Blood and Organ Dona-
tion Leave Act to expand eligibility 
for organ donation leave. Under the 
new law, part-time employees can 
now take time off to donate an organ, 
a benefit that was previously avail-
able only to full-time workers. The 
amendment provides that for a part-
time employee using leave to serve as 
an organ donor, the employer shall 
calculate the daily average pay the 
part-time employee received during 
his or her previous two months of 
employment and compensate the 
part-time employee in the amount 
of the daily average pay for the leave 
days used.
Amendment to Illinois Nursing 
Mothers in the Workplace Act
In August 2025, the Illinois Nursing 
Mothers in the Workplace Act was 
amended. Senate Bill 212 (Public 
Act 104-0076) updates the Illinois 
Nursing Mothers in the Workplace 
Act to strengthen protections for 
breastfeeding employees. The revised 
law requires employers to provide 
nursing mothers reasonable break 
time that is fully paid at their regular 
rate of pay. It also makes clear that 
employers cannot require workers to 
use paid leave or reduce their pay for 
taking this break time.
Amendment to Illinois Victims’ 
Economic Security and Safety Act
In August 2025, the Illinois Victims’ 
Economic Security and Safety Act 
was amended. House Bill 1278 (Pub-
lic Act 104-0171) updates the Illinois 
Victims’ Economic Security and 
Safety Act to offer stronger protec-
tions for employees who document 
violent crimes. Under the amended 
law, an employer cannot fire, refuse 

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