Illinois manufacturers asked the state to delay its planned increase in the minimum wage for one year because higher wage costs could hamper recovery from the coronavirus crisis.
The request by the Illinois Manufacturers’ Association was made in a letter to Gov. J.B. Pritzker (D). The Illinois hourly minimum wage is to rise to $10 from $9.25 on July 1, and the tipped-worker minimum wage is to rise to $6 from $5.55. The youth minimum wage is to remain $8. The state’s hourly minimum wage is to rise to $15 by 2025.
“To subject employers to another significant expense at the same time they have had to lay people off, close or operate at an extremely limited capacity, or expend tremendous resources to adapt their operations to the demands of the pandemic, is unreasonable and alarming, especially for employers who have seen their sales significantly reduced or completely eliminated,” the letter said.
Read more.
