The Time Off for Official Meetings Act (50 ILCS 115/) provides unpaid leave for employees who are an elected official of a unit of local government or school district to be absent from work during the time official meetings are held.
Eligibility
Any employee who is appointed as an elected official of a unit of local government or school district is eligible. Per the Act, “official meeting” means any gathering of the public body in which a quorum of the members are expected to attend and which is to be held for the purpose of discussing public business.
Approval & Documentation
Employees requesting Time Off for Official Meetings must inform their supervisor or department of their intent to use this leave. Employees may be asked by their department human resources representative or appliable human resources office to provide substantiation of the leave.
Length of Leave
Employees using this leave may be gone for a period of time in which the official meeting is held and will be entitled to necessary traveling time to and from the meeting.
Reporting Leave
Civil Service non-exempt and other hourly employees should report Time Off for Official Meetings leave as an "Excused Absence W/O Pay". If supervisory approval has been granted, an employee may substitute accrued vacation or personal leave for this unpaid leave.
Academic employees and exempt Civil Service employees will only be required to report election judge leave when the length of the absence is equal to a half day or more of work. Employees in this situation should contact their department for reporting procedures.
Compensation
An employee cannot be required to use vacation or other accrued leave in order to remain in pay status while using Time Off for Official Meetings leave. If the employee chooses to continue in pay status, they must use other accrued paid leave in accordance with University leave provisions.
Resources
Direct questions to your university or system HR office: