Illinois has expanded employee protections for jury service. Illinois law has long prohibited employers from retaliating against employees for serving on a jury and required employers to provide time off for jury duty. The amendment to the Jury Duty Act goes a step further by requiring most employers to pay employees while they serve. Specifically, beginning Jan. 1, 2027, employers with more than 25 employees must compensate employees at their regular rate of pay for time spent on jury duty. The amendment applies to both the Jury Act and the Jury Commission Act, creating a consistent statewide standard for covered employers.

For employers, this change presents an opportunity to review leave policies, payroll practices, and employee handbooks before a jury summons arrives. Covered employers should ensure payroll systems are equipped to pay employees their regular wages during jury service and that managers understand employees remain protected from retaliation or other adverse employment actions because of their jury service. Although employers with 25 or fewer employees are exempt from the new paid leave requirement, they must continue to provide protected time off and comply with Illinois' longstanding anti-retaliation provisions.