Chicago, Cook County minimum wage increases take effect Wednesday
Wednesday, July 1, 2026 4:16PM
CHICAGO (WLS) -- New laws took effect Wednesday with the start of July, including increases in the minimum wage.
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In Chicago, the minimum wage at employers with four or more employees is $17,05 per-hour, up from $16.60 per-hour, with an overtime minimum wage of $25.58 per-hour.
For Chicago tipped workers at employers with four or more employees, the minimum wage is $12.96 per-hour, with an overtime minimum wage of $21.49 per-hour.
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In Cook County, the minimum wage increases to $15.40 per-hour for non-tipped employees and $9.25 per-hour for tipped employees.
In Illinois, the minimum wage for workers over 18 is $15 per-hour, for non-tipped workers, $9 per-hour for tipped workers and $13 per-hour for youths and those working less than 650 hours per calendar year.
Coffee barista Jillian Smith is one of the tens of thousands of workers in Chicago and around suburban Cook County, who will see a larger paycheck now that the minimum wage increase takes affect.
"Just a little bit more comfort," Smith said. "Just a little bit less worrying still a little worried sometimes but like it's nice to know there's a little bit extra security."
Jamie Key, the owner of Truth Chicago says because the restaurant business operates on a very then margin, he'll have to get creative when balancing the additional wage expense.
"I think it's fair because our servers and our tip employees are the heart and soul of our business, so I in order to operate successfully, we need them compensated fairly," Key said. "But on the flipside labor cost are very, very high so if it's slow, it kinda like, so we'll wait to see what happens."
While some workers admit the bump in pay may not be life changing, they said nowadays, every little bit helps.
"I think that it's great. It's already hard to pay for groceries and rent and everything so everyone deserves to be making a livable wage," Ashlyn Sysco, Lvl Up Coffee lead barista said. "It's definitely a positive thing."
The increase comes as worker pay struggles to keep up with inflation.
In Chicago, City Council froze planned wage hikes for tipped workers earlier this year after pushback from the restaurant industry.
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