Illinois workers earning minimum wage will see an increase to $15 per hour starting January 1. The change completes a six-year phase-in that began in 2019. Tipped workers’ base pay will rise to $9 an hour, and workers under 18 logging fewer than 650 hours annually will earn $13 per hour.
Governor JB Pritzker, who signed the legislation early in his first term, called the wage hike a promise fulfilled to working families. However, inflation has reduced the buying power of the new rate since the law’s passage.
Capital News Illinois capitolnewsillinois.com reports that businesses with 50 or fewer employees can access tax credits to offset the increase through 2027. Critics, including the Illinois Chamber of Commerce, note that rising wages have prompted operational changes, such as increased automation and higher prices.
Illinois joins nine other states with a $15 minimum wage.
