No federal laws require employers to provide workers with paid vacation days, but state regulations and a Chicago city ordinance do. Most workers have rights related to paid leave and an avenue for seeking compensation if those rights are violated.
If you believe your rights were violated, a Deerfield unpaid vacation lawyer could help. When you leave a job, you have the right to compensation for any unpaid vacation time unless the Company uses an unlimited paid time off policy. A dedicated attorney can help you get the compensation you deserve.
Paid vacations are only one form of benefits employers across the state offer as part of their compensation package. There are protections safeguarding paid leave on the city, county, and state levels. Specifically, Cook County and the City of Chicago have adopted mandatory paid leave for most employers, which begins accruing the day a person is hired. The state has adopted similar protections that apply to cities without a paid leave standard.
Some exceptions apply to the law protecting workers’ right to use vacation benefits. Employers are allowed to hold a “use it or lose it” policy regarding vacations, meaning that each year, the time must be used by a certain date or forfeited. Once a person forfeits their paid time off, they are not owed compensation for it in the future.
Employers must follow some guidelines. First, they must give a worker the opportunity to use that time off before the deadline. For example, they may not arbitrarily reject all requests to use vacation time until it is too late.
Additionally, all employees must be notified of the nature of this policy. If they are unaware they must use vacation time by a certain date or give up that benefit, they could be entitled to compensation once they separate from the company.
Because of these exceptions, an employee might still have a viable claim even if their company has a “use it or lose it” policy in the employee handbook. An attorney in Deerfield could answer questions about securing compensation for unpaid vacation.
As an employee, you have rights regarding your paid time off. If you have not been compensated for your existing vacation days after leaving the company, you may have the option to seek compensation from your former employer.
A Deerfield unpaid vacation lawyer can advise you on your options. Call as soon as possible for a private consultation.
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