2022 Illinois Minimum Wage
The 2022 Illinois Minimum Wage is $12.
Effective 2022-01-01Source: Increase Coming for Illinois Minimum Wage (Illinois Department of Labor)Verified 2026-09-01
Compared with 2021
| Item | 2021 | 2022 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Hourly | $11 | $12 | +$1 (+9.1%) |
Who it applies to
All employers and employees in the state of Illinois subject to the state minimum wage.
What changed this year, and why
Illinois minimum wage increased to $12 per hour on January 1, 2022, up from $11 per hour in 2021.
Common questions
- When did the $12 per hour minimum wage take effect?
- The $12 per hour minimum wage took effect on January 1, 2022.
Minors, students and training wages: who may be paid less than the rate on this page
Illinois law allows a lower minimum wage for young workers under certain conditions. An employee who is under 18 years old and who works fewer than 650 hours in a calendar year may be paid a youth minimum wage of $9.25 per hour, rather than the standard $12 hourly rate that applies to most workers. Both conditions must be met: the worker must be under 18 and must not exceed 650 hours of work during the year. If either condition is not satisfied, the full minimum wage is owed. This youth rate began on January 1 and provides a lower wage floor for teenage workers who have limited hours. Employers should track hours carefully to determine whether a young worker qualifies for this reduced rate or must receive the full minimum wage.
Workers under 18 years old and who work fewer than 650 hours in a year will earn a minimum wage of $9.25 per hour beginning January 1.
Increase Coming for Illinois Minimum Wage (Illinois Department of Labor)
Who to ask about this rate, and where to take a wage complaint
Workers in Illinois who believe their employer is not paying the required minimum wage of $12 an hour can file a minimum wage complaint with the Illinois Department of Labor (IDOL). Complaints may be submitted online through the department's Minimum Wage Complaints link or by calling 312-793-2800. IDOL is the state agency responsible for enforcing minimum wage and other employment laws. Employees do not need to wait until they have left a job to report a problem; current workers may also file. Employers are required to post the "Your Rights Under Illinois Employment Laws" poster in a location where employees regularly see notices, and that poster also describes additional state labor protections. If a complaint leads to a finding that wages were underpaid, the department can pursue recovery of unpaid amounts on the worker's behalf.
Employees with problems regarding the minimum wage can file a complaint with IDOL at the following link: Minimum Wage Complaints or call 312-793-2800.
Increase Coming for Illinois Minimum Wage (Illinois Department of Labor)
When tips, meals or lodging count toward the minimum wage
In Illinois, employers may count tips as part of a tipped worker's wage, but the document published by the Illinois Department of Labor does not address meals or lodging as a credit toward the minimum wage. The law allows employers to pay tipped employees — such as food servers — as little as 60 percent of the hourly minimum wage, which in 2022 works out to a direct cash wage below $12 an hour. However, those workers must still receive the full $12 hourly minimum wage once tips are included. If their tips fall short, the employer is required to make up the difference. The provision applies only to employees who "regularly earn tips." No mention is made of meals or lodging counting toward the wage floor.
The new law maintains provisions for employers to count gratuities to offset wages for workers, such as food servers, who regularly earn tips. Tipped employees may be paid 60 percent of the hourly minimum wage. However, these workers must still earn the minimum wage after receiving tips or the employer will make up the difference.
Increase Coming for Illinois Minimum Wage (Illinois Department of Labor)
How each figure was verified
Each number below was read from a stored copy of the document named beside it, and checked to occur word for word in the quoted sentence. The digest is of that stored text.
Increase Coming for Illinois Minimum Wage (Illinois Department of Labor)
- Hourly
The minimum wage in Illinois is set to increase another dollar on Saturday, January 1, 2022. The new wage will be $12 an hour.
Other years
Every Illinois Minimum Wage year · Minimum Wage in every state