Reminder: Minimum Wage Increases in Chicago and Cook County

By Sally Weldin, Sr. Human Resource Specialist
Published June 11, 2019

Illinois employers have their eyes on the minimum wage increase from $8.25 to $9.25 for the State, effective January 1, 2020, followed by an increase to $10.00 on July 1, 2020. But minimum wage is set to increase in two business-heavy areas in Illinois earlier than that.  

Next month, the minimum wage will increase by ordinance for:

• Employers in the City of Chicago: $13.00 per hour (effective July 1, 2019); and
• Employers in Cook County municipalities that did not opt out of the minimum wage ordinance: $12.00 per hour (effective July 1, 2019).

Employers in Chicago and Cook County municipalities that did not opt out of the minimum wage ordinance must pay the ordinance rate at a minimum for non-exempt employees even when the State’s minimum wage changes in January. As noted above, many Cook County municipalities initially opted out of  the minimum wage ordinance. However, in recent months, some have reversed course and “opted back in.” Cook County employers are advised to check with their local municipality for minimum wage opt-out status. Chicago employers do not have an opt-out option and must pay the city’s minimum wage.

Employers must also post all applicable minimum wage notices, including city or county ordinance notices, the Illinois Department of Labor notice (which will be revised as the minimum wage increases), and the federal minimum wage notice. Chicago’s minimum wage notice was revised June 4, 2019, and employers should post the most recent copy. The Cook County notice is available here. Employers are also required to distribute the notice with a new employee’s first paycheck. 

Both Chicago and Cook County have online FAQs to assist employers.  

To help employers plan for all these minimum wage increases, HR Source is hosting an Illinois Minimum Wage Webinar June 18, 2019. 

Questions? We’re here to help! Contact us at 800-448-4584 or hotline@hrsource.org.