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State addendum · first edition, October 2026 Ready
Employment Services in Illinois
Illinois pays waiver supported employment by the hour and vocational rehabilitation by phase. It is phasing out subminimum wage by law, and some of its rules are stricter than Maryland's.
Illinois at a glance
| Agency for employment services | Department of Human Services, Division of Developmental Disabilities (DDD) |
|---|---|
| How employment is funded | Adults with Developmental Disabilities Waiver (IL.0350) |
| Vocational rehabilitation | Department of Human Services, Division of Rehabilitation Services (DRS) |
| Medicaid agency | Department of Healthcare and Family Services (HFS) |
| Minimum wage | $15.00 statewide; Chicago $17.05, Cook County $15.40 |
The three biggest differences
- Hourly waiver, phase-paid VR. Individual Supported Employment is billed hourly; DRS pays a fee at each phase from hire to stabilization.
- Subminimum wage is ending. The Dignity in Pay Act ends every 14(c) certificate by 2029, and Employment First is state law.
- Stricter in places. All-party consent to record, no blanket release of records, and abuse reports to the Inspector General within 4 hours.
What the full addendum gives you
Twelve sections, filed directly behind Volume 0 and adopted by a single change request. Every rule cites its official source; anything not yet confirmed is marked for verification, never guessed.
- How to use the addendum, and the three biggest differences
- At a glance: every Maryland role and its local equivalent
- Crosswalk: each Maryland reference, its replacement, and where it is amended
- Waiver (or local) employment services: codes, units, rates, limits
- Vocational rehabilitation: becoming a vendor, fees, invoicing, fading
- Provider certification and staffing
- Incident reporting and protection from harm
- Billing, records and retention
- Local law that changes the package: wages, recording, false claims, safety, breach
- State-use purchasing and contract sites
- Volume-by-volume amendments, 0 to 15
- Open items to verify, and the official sources
The addendum is issued with the Adoption License. Ask for it here and the Adoption Office replies within one business day.