Attention Illinois employers:
The Illinois Family Neonatal Intensive Care Leave Act (NICLA) will become effective on June 1, 2026. This law provides unpaid leave to parents with infants in the NICU. The requirement applies to employers with 16 or more employees and provides up to 10 days of unpaid leave if an employer has between 16 and 50 employees and up to 20 days if an employer has 51 or more employees.
Eligible employees must first exhaust available FMLA leave before using NICLA time. Employees may take leave continuously or intermittently and have job reinstatement rights.