An employer may not force an employee to work through a meal break. Illinois employers must provide a meal break to employees who work at least seven and a half continuous hours.This break must be at least 20 minutes long. For every 7.5 hours worked, Illinois state law allows one meal break to be taken no later than 5 hours from the start of the shift. The law requires employers to provide one hour of paid time off, which can be used for any reason, including vacation and sick leave, for every 40 hours worked. A number of the laws are currently in effect, while others will become effective on January 1, 2015. Below is a summary of these laws. Workers have a right to at least a 30minute meal break or each 6 hours worked in a calendar day. As of January 1, 2023, employers are required to provide an additional 20-minute rest period for those employees who work 12 hours or more in a day. Find a fingerprinting location near you: walk-in, nationwide fingerprint collection network, or find mail-in ink card processing instructions.