New minimum wage rates will still take effect throughout Illinois in 2021, despite financial difficulties caused by the coronavirus pandemic.
On Jan. 1, the Illinois Department of Labor increase the statewide minimum wage rate to $11 per hour and to $6.60 for tipped workers.
Illinois officials asked that employees watch their paychecks throughout the new year to ensure time worked is being paid at the new rate.
In 2019, Pritzker signed legislation into law providing a path to increase Illinois’ minimum wage rate to $15 per hour and $9 for tipped workers by 2025.
During 2020, most residents saw two minimum wage increases — first to $9.25 in January, then to $10 in July.
According to a study by the Illinois Economic Policy Institute at the University of Illinois, more than 1.4 million adult hourly workers in Illinois make less than $15 per hour.
Should workers not earn the minimum wage after receiving the tips, the employer must make up the difference, according to the release.
Officials said workers under the age of 18 and working fewer than 650 hours in a year will earn a wage of $8.50 in 2021. The youth minimum wage rate is expected to increase to $13 an hour by 2025.