Illinois poised to mandate paid leave for nearly all workers

East St. Louis-area hotel restaurant server and single mother of three Joan Van said she works doubles, sometimes triples, to make up the money when she or one of her children gets sick, or she needs to call out. She may not have to much longer. Expansive paid leave legislation requiring Illinois employers to give workers paid time off based on hours worked, to be used for any reason, is ready for action by Democratic Gov. J.B. Pritzker, who said he looks forward to signing it. Requiring paid vacation is rare in the United States — just Maine and Nevada have similar laws in place — although common in other industrialized nations.