Mandatory wage-statement items
- 1Hours worked
Regular and overtime hours for the pay period.
- 2Rate of pay
All rates applied during the pay period.
- 3Overtime pay and hours
Overtime hours worked and the overtime rate applied.
- 4Gross wages
Total wages earned before deductions.
- 5Itemized deductions
Each deduction listed separately.
- 6Year-to-date totals
YTD wages and deductions for the calendar year.
Penalties and retention
Employees can recover unpaid wages plus 5% per month in damages, attorney's fees, and costs. Failure to produce records for the Illinois Department of Labor triggers civil penalties up to $500 per violation.
Not less than three years under IDOL rules; the Wage Payment Act requires the employer to keep and produce statements on request.
Allowed, provided employees can access and print records at no cost.
Compliance checklist
- All six required items appear on every stub
- YTD wages and deductions are current
- Overtime hours and rate are itemized separately
- Former-employee stub requests are honored within a reasonable time
- Records retained for at least three years
Frequently asked questions
Yes — since 2024, Public Act 103-0201 requires employers to provide former employees copies of their pay stubs upon request for one year after separation.
Yes — Illinois is one of the few states that explicitly requires year-to-date wage and deduction totals on every stub.
Yes, when employees can access and print them freely. Employers must offer a paper alternative on request under IDOL guidance.
Under 820 ILCS 115/14, employees can recover unpaid amounts plus damages of 5% per month, attorney's fees, and costs.
Generate a IL-compliant pay stub
StubGenPro's US pay stub template covers hours-at-each-rate, itemized deductions, YTD totals, and pay-period dates — the fields most state laws require.