On July 1st, a scheduled increase to Chicago’s minimum wage and enhancements to the fair workweek ordinance take effect. (WTTW News)

Some changes are coming soon for Chicago’s workers. July 1, a scheduled increase to the minimum wage takes effect, as well as enhancements to the Fair Workweek Ordinance.

(Sharon McCutcheon / Unsplash)
,

Starting in July, minimum wage employees of larger businesses will see their paychecks rise by 40 cents an hour to $15.40

A group of workers with tortilla maker El Milagro march across 26th Street to protest working conditions on Thursday, Sept. 23, 2021. (WTTW News)

Workers are back on the job after last week’s walkout. We hear about their working conditions and the latest on their organizing efforts.

(WTTW News)
, ,

Chicago hit two firms — including global snack food giant Mondelez International — with $935,000 in back pay and fines for running afoul of the city’s sick leave law, as Mayor Lori Lightfoot vowed Thursday to step up efforts to protect workers.

Labor activists join some public officials downtown for a rally in support of raising the minimum wage in August 2019. (WTTW News)
,

The nationwide Fight For $15 movement pushed the challenges facing Chicago’s lowest-paid workers — who are primarily Black and Latino — to the top of the agenda for city officials.

The Renaissance Chicago Downtown Hotel (WTTW News)
,

Wage theft costs Chicago workers $400 million a year, according to the mayor’s office.

Labor activists join some public officials downtown for a rally in support of raising the minimum wage in August 2019. (WTTW News)

The latest COVID-19 relief bill could come up for a vote in Congress as early as next week, but a key Democratic priority might be on the chopping block. We explore the potential impact of raising the minimum wage.

President Joe Biden signs a series of executive orders on health care, in the Oval Office of the White House, Thursday, Jan. 28, 2021, in Washington. (AP Photo / Evan Vucci)
,

The Democratic push to raise the federal minimum wage to $15 an hour has emerged as an early flashpoint in the fight for a $1.9 trillion COVID-19 relief package, testing President Joe Biden’s ability to bridge Washington’s partisan divides as he pursues his first major legislative victory.

(Robert-Owen-Wahl / Pixabay)

Illinois’ minimum wage increased from $9.25 to $10 in July, despite a request from business owners to delay the hike during a pandemic. But for employers whose take-home pay is largely dependent on tips, the minimum wage is $6.

(Adam Jones / Flickr)

July 1 marks the start of Illinois’ new fiscal year, which ushers in a bushel of new laws. Here are a handful that may come in handy.

(WTTW News)
,

Most Chicago workers who earn the minimum wage will see their paychecks rise — and get more notice before they are expected to clock in for a shift, as two of Mayor Lori Lightfoot’s top priorities take effect this week.

(Robert-Owen-Wahl / Pixabay)

Should tipped workers make the same minimum wage as non-tipped workers? We discuss the pros and cons of a pending ordinance in City Council that would raise the city’s minimum wage to $15 an hour by 2021 – including for those who earn tips.

According to Bureau of Labor Statistics data, workers in food preparation and serving-related occupations made up the bulk of workers earning minimum wage or less in 2013, the Pew Research Center reports. (delo / Pixabay)
,

At a City Council hearing on Tuesday, committee members discussed a proposal to raise the city’s minimum wage to $15 an hour by 2021. Activists say it’s long overdue. But could it hurt small businesses? We debate the issue.

Labor activists join some public officials downtown for a rally in support of raising the minimum wage in August 2019. (WTTW News)
,

Chicago has seen its minimum wage steadily rise in the last several years, from a hourly rate of $8.25 in 2014 to $13 today. But labor activists and some public officials say it’s not nearly enough.

Gov. J.B. Pritzker, right, congratulates state Rep. Will Guzzardi, D-Chicago, left, on the House floor at the Illinois State Capitol on Thursday, Feb. 14, 2019. (Justin L. Fowler / The State Journal-Register via AP)

Just a little over a month after becoming Illinois’ governor, J.B. Pritzker signed a law that stands to change the state’s economy by raising the minimum wage from $8.25 to $15 by 2025.

Illinois state Rep. Will Guzzardi, D-Chicago, testifies before the Labor and Commerce Committee on Wednesday, Feb. 13, 2019 on his proposal to increase the minimum wage to $15 by 2025. (AP Photo / John O’Connor)

Illinois legislators moved quickly Thursday to deliver one of new Democratic Gov. J.B. Pritzker’s top campaign promises, a gradual hike in the statewide minimum wage from $8.25 to $15 an hour.