Signed by Governor JB Pritzker

Vote Smart's Synopsis:

Vote to pass a bill that extends the Military Leave Act to authorize paid leave for funeral honors details in Illinois.

Highlights:

• Defines "authorized provider" as an individual or group recognized by the armed forces, who are not service members or employees of the United States government, and who augment the uniformed members of a military funeral honors detail (Sec. 5).

• Defines "funeral honors detail" as an honor guard detail provided for the funeral of any veteran that consists of at least 2 members of the U.S. Armed Forces, one of whom is from the deceased veteran's service branch, and the remainder of whom consist of members of the armed forces or an authorized provider (Sec. 5).

• Specifies that this Section applies to employers employing 51 or more employees (Sec. 12).

• Authorizes an employee to use up to 8 hours per calendar month to participate in a funeral honors detail, up to a total of 40 hours per calendar year, or more if authorized by his or her employer or if provided for in a collective bargaining agreement (Sec. 12).

• Specifies that an employee qualifies for paid leave under this Section if they (Sec. 12):

• Are trained to participate in a funeral honors detail at the funeral of a veteran; and

• Are either a retired, active, or reserve member of the U.S. Armed Forces, or an authorized provider or registered member of an authorized provider, including a member of a veterans service organization.

• Specifies that an employee taking funeral honors detail leave shall give his or her employer reasonable notice, and authorizes an employer to request a confirmation from the relevant veterans service organization that dispatched the employee to the funeral honors detail (Sec. 12).

• Specifies that an employee who takes leave under this Section may do so instead of, and without having exhausted, his or her vacation leave, personal leave, compensatory leave, or any other leave that may be granted to the employee, including sick leave and disability leave (Sec. 12).

Full Bill Text