Illinois raises minimum wage again. These Belleville retailers offer higher starting pay
Illinois’ minimum wage increased again Jan. 1, but it still falls short of the $18.10 hourly pay the Massachusetts Institute of Technology estimates an adult without children needs to afford basic necessities in the state.
Another labor-related law came into effect in Illinois this January, mandating paid time off for most Illinois workers. Employees may begin to use their accrued time off at the end of March.
As of the new year, the non-tipped minimum wage increased to $14 an hour in Illinois, while the tipped minimum is at $8.40. Children younger than 18, who work fewer than 650 hours in a calendar year, now have a $12 minimum hourly wage.
“Illinois’ minimum wage is the highest in the Midwest,” Illinois Legal Aid Online executive director Teri Ross said in an interview with the News-Democrat recently.
Thirty U.S. states, the District of Columbia and three territories now have minimum wages that exceed the federal requirement, and among those, Illinois falls in the middle of the pack. The federal minimum wage has been $7.25 an hour since 2009.
Here’s how the minimum wage compares in a few nearby states:
Missouri: $12.30 an hour (last raised Jan. 1) for non-tipped employees and $6.15 an hour for tipped employees plus any amount needed to bring the employee’s total earnings to the $12.30 minimum wage
Indiana: $7.25 an hour for non-tipped employees and $2.13 an hour for tipped employees
Ohio: $10.45 an hour for non-tipped employees whose employers have annual gross sales of $385,000 or more ($7.25 at employers bringing in less) and $5.25 for tipped employees
Michigan: $10.33 an hour for non-tipped employees and $3.93 for tipped employees
Kentucky: $7.25 an hour for non-tipped employees and $2.13 for tipped employees
Another increase is on the horizon for minimum wage workers in Illinois. Jan. 1, 2025, will see the non-tipped minimum wage jump to $15, the tipped wage increase to $9 and the youth minimum wage will be $13.
Some retailers already choose to offer higher starting wages, though. Which major retailers advertise higher wages in Belleville? Here’s what to know.
Major retailers advertising wages above IL minimum wage
Target
The Belleville Crossing Target location has a cashier position posted with a $15 hourly wage.
Walmart
Cashier positions at Walmart in Belleville have a pay range from $14 to $26 an hour, according to the company’s website.
Aldi
Aldi in Belleville has a part-time cashier/stocker position posted with a $17 an hour starting wage.
This story was originally published January 8, 2024 at 10:06 AM.
