Paid leave talks break down as Chicago business groups draw a line in the sand

Ald. Michael D. Rodriguez (22nd), chairman of the City Council’s Committee on Workforce Development, says talks with business groups about a proposed paid leave measure broke down, but the number of days envisioned in the law was not the major stumbling block. (Anthony Vazquez/Sun-Times)

Marathon negotiations aimed at giving Chicago one of the most generous paid leave policies in the nation broke down Friday over the issue of guaranteed payouts.

Business and labor appeared to be closing in on a groundbreaking compromise brokered by aides to Mayor Brandon Johnson that would have required businesses to give their employees ten days of paid leave each year—five designated as sick days and five all-purpose days.