Illinois employers should be aware of a new leave entitlement that took effect on June 1, 2026. Under Public Act Public Act 104-0259, eligible employees whose child is receiving care in a Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (“NICU”) are entitled to protected unpaid leave, creating new compliance obligations for employers across the state.

The law

On November 8, 2024, in Siren Retail Corp d/b/a Starbucks, the National Labor Relations Board (“NLRB”) tightened restrictions on what employers can say to workers about the impact of unionization. In making this ruling the NLRB overruled its 1985 decision in Tri-Cast, Inc., which held that most employers’ statements about the impact of