The Illinois Department of Labor (IDOL) has issued March 2021 guidance for employers on “ Compensation, Paid Leave and the COVID-19 Vaccine,” advising employers on providing employees with time off and flexibility in order to get the first (and as necessary, the second dose) of the COVID-19 vaccine. Mandatory Vaccination Programs The IDOL guidance states that pursuant to the Illinois Minimum Wage Law and the federal Fair Labor Standards Act, if an employer requires employees to get vaccinated, then the time the employee spends getting the vaccine “is likely compensable,” even if the employee gets vaccinated during non-working time. IDOL also advises that mandatory vaccination requirements by employers should be combined with paid leave for employees to receive both doses of the COVID-19 vaccine (if two doses are required). Alternatively, employers should provide compensation for the time taken by employees in order to comply with the employer’s mandatory vaccine requirement.