From Stanley Cup to Ante Up: Minimum Wage Increase Sweeps Chicagoland

Starting July 1, 2015, the minimum wage in the City of Chicago is $10 per hour. The Chicago City Council approved an ordinance that also increases the city’s minimum wage in successive increments through July 1, 2019. By enacting this ordinance, Chicago becomes one of the largest U.S. cities to adopt such a measure—following a trend that threatens to sweep the nation. This substantial wage increase adds to an already complex and burdensome landscape for employers in the Chicagoland area, which includes a recently enacted Cook County Wage Theft Ordinance that can strip employers of their business license for violating any wage laws.