CHICAGO – Following a multi-year implementation period, the state’s minimum wage will reach $15 per hour on Jan. 1, thanks to steadfast advocacy from Senate Majority Leader Kimberly A. Lightford.

“As a state, we have helped countless workers make ends meet, reduce financial stress, and provide a more solid foundation for their futures,” said Lightford (D-Maywood). “The $15 minimum wage is a testament to our commitment to economic justice and our belief that everyone who works full time deserves a living wage.”

Lightford led a law in 2019 to put the state on the path to a $15 per hour minimum wage by 2025. The minimum wage was raised from $8.25 to $10 in 2019. Each year after, on Jan. 1, the minimum wage increased by $1 – putting it at $15 come Jan. 1, 2025. Additionally, the youth minimum wage rate will raise to $13 per hour.

The move to $15 per hour affects nearly 1.4 million adult workers in Illinois – who have seen an average raise of $6,000 annually. According to the Illinois Economic Policy Institute, the $15 minimum wage will lift more than 200,000 Illinois workers out of poverty – and an additional $380 million in annual state tax revenue will be generated.

“Dignity, opportunity, and recognizing the hard work of those who form the backbone of our community were all at the forefront of our efforts,” said Lightford. “We can proudly say we have taken a significant step forward for working families across the state.”

Lightford reminds people who are not being paid the proper rate to report their employers to the Illinois Department of Labor.