"Effective June 1, 2026, Illinois's Neonatal Intensive Care Leave Act (NICLA) provides unpaid leave for parents with a child in a NICU, applicable to employers with sixteen or more employees. NICLA leave is separate from FMLA leave and offers additional protections for employees with newborns in intensive care. NICLA prohibits employers from retaliating against workers who take leave, assert their right to take leave, or otherwise support others who do so."  MORE >>