As of July 1, scheduled increases and amendments are in effect for Chicago’s Minimum Wage, Fair Workweek, and Sexual Harassment laws. The Greater Ravenswood Chamber of Commerce gathered all the info you need to keep your business current and compliant.
Chicago’s Minimum Wage Increase
The annual scheduled increase in Chicago’s minimum wage went into effect on Friday, July 1, 2022. As of July 1, the Chicago minimum wage is:
- $15.40 for employers with 21 or more employees (including all domestic workers, regardless of the number employed).
- $14.50 for employers with 4-20 employees.
- The minimum wage for tipped employees will be $9.24 for employers with 21 or more employees, and $8.70 for employers with 4-20 employees (employers must make up the difference between any tips received and the applicable minimum wage for non-tipped workers.).
Employers that maintain a business facility within the City of Chicago or are required to obtain a business license to operate in the City are required to pay their employees at least the Chicago minimum wage. Any employee that works two hours or more in the City within a two-week period must receive at least the Chicago minimum wage.
The City requires businesses to post the Minimum Wage Notice at their business. The notice is available in English, Spanish, Polish, Simplified Chinese, Tagalog, and Korean on BACP’s Minimum Wage webpage.
The Department of Business Affairs & Consumer Protections (BACP) recently hosted a webinar on the Minimum Wage Ordinance. View the webinar at YouTube.com/ChicagoBACP. To learn about Chicago’s labor laws, visit Chicago.gov/LaborStandards.
Chicago’s Fair Workweek Updates
As of July 1, 2022, scheduled enhancements to the Fair Workweek Ordinance require:
- Employers in covered industries to post work schedules with at least 14 days’ notice. This is an increase from the previous 10 days’ notice.
- Employees will need to earn less than $29.35 per hour or $56,381.85 per year to gain protection under the Fair Workweek Ordinance.
- Covered industries include building services, healthcare, hotel, manufacturing, restaurant, retail, or warehouse services.
The City requires businesses to post the Fair Workweek Notice at their business. The notice is available in English, Spanish, Polish, Simplified Chinese, Tagalog, and Korean on the Fair Workweek webpage.
BACP hosted an information webinar on the Fair Workweek Ordinance that you can view at YouTube.com/ChicagoBACP. To learn about Chicago’s labor laws, visit Chicago.gov/LaborStandards.
Enhancements to Chicago Sexual Harassment Law
The City has amended its Sexual Harassment Law to make it stronger and to uphold zero tolerance of violence and harassment in the workplace.
As of July 1, 2022, all employers in Chicago must have a written policy on sexual harassment, display a public notice advising of the prohibition on sexual harassment where employees can see it, and conduct annual training. A model policy, written notice, and training templates are available at Chicago.gov/SexualHarassment.
The Chicago Commission on Human Relations (CCHR) presented a free webinar to provide an overview of Chicago’s Sexual Harassment Laws. They cover how sexual harassment and misconduct are defined, employer requirements under the law, and resources to inform employers and employees about these changes. To view the webinar, visit YouTube.com/ChicagoBACP.
For further information, visit Chicago.gov/SexualHarassment or contact CCHR at 312-744-4111.
