CHICAGO (WLS) -- Gov. JB Pritzker signed expansive paid leave legislation into law Monday.

SB208 makes Illinois the third state in the country, and the first in the Midwest, to mandate paid time off to be used for any reason, the governor's office said.

In Illinois today, there are 4 million people who don't have access to a single day of sick leave. In Chicago where sick leave is guaranteed, most low-wage workers don't have vacation days. That is about to change.

The legislation provides employees with up to 40 hours of paid leave during a 12-month period, meaning approximately 1.5 million workers will begin earning paid time off starting in 2024, Pritzker's office said.

WATCH: Gov. Pritzker signs expansive paid leave legislation into law

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Gov. JB Pritzker signed an Illinois paid leave act into law on Monday, mandating time off for millions, the governor's office said.

"Employers benefit from allowing employees to tend to the urgent personal matters of their lives. Workers' productivity increases, and they often gain greater passion for their job when they can manage the stresses they face outside work. I'm exceptionally proud that labor and business came together to recognize the value of this requirement to employees and employers alike," the governor said in a statement.

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