Things might still be freezing in the Midwest but that hasn’t slowed down Illinois Legislators who this week moved quickly to back its new governor’s campaign promise. Democratic governor J.B. Pritzker made hiking the minimum wage in Illinois from $8.25 to $15 one of his central campaign promises. The State Senate passed the bill last week and Governor Pritzker urged the State House to pass it quickly before he filed his state budget.
Over Republican objections of “moving too fast” the legislature passed the minimum wage bill which will make Illinois the state with the highest minimum wage in the Midwest. Despite this, Illinois is throwing its lot in with states like Massachusetts and California.
States that have adopted laws to increase minimum wage to the $15 level before Illinois reaches it in 2025:
- California
- Massachusetts
- New Jersey
- New York
- District of Columbia
States that surround Illinois geographically and their minimum wages:
| State | Minimum Wage | Federal Minimum or Higher |
| Indiana | $7.25 | Federal Minimum Wage |
| Wisconsin | $7.25 | Federal Minimum Wage |
| Iowa | $7.25 | Federal Minimum Wage |
| Missouri | $8.60/$12 by 2023 | Higher |
The legislation which the Governor is expected tot sign will increase Illinois’ minimum wage from $8.25 to $9.25 on Jan 1, 2020; to $10 on July 1, 2020; and then $1 each January until it hits $15 in 2025. We’ll definitely keep abreast of the changes and send you reminders to update your company’s policies and materials. How this new law will be reflected in the mandatory labor notices is not yet clear but the whole minimum wage increase schedule should be made available in a multi-year format to keep you compliant for the next few years.