New Law Provides Flexible Daycare Scheduling Options to Working Families

A new law is providing increased flexibility for working parents by expanding daycare scheduling options for shift employees.

Senate Bill 3207, sponsored by Senator Jil Tracy, authorizes daycare centers to operate 24 hours a day and allows care for children for up to 12 hours if the parent works in a position requiring regularly scheduled shifts. A 10-hour break must occur between daycare visits.

This initiative was inspired by the need for a more adaptable childcare system to support shift workers. The law is not intended for children to be in daycare for 24 hours straight but rather to offer essential flexibility for caregivers and the working parents they serve.

The Illinois Department of Children and Family Services is tasked with adopting the necessary rules to implement and administer this new system. The bill received unanimous support in both the Senate and the House of Representatives and is set to take effect on January 1, 2025.