The campaign to raise the minimum wage was one of the biggest issues during the past election cycle. Both Presidential candidates supported increasing the minimum wage, and many state and local candidates expressed support for an increased minimum wage as well.
Illinois is not among those states, although both Chicago and Cook County will be increasing their minimum wage in 2017. While the minimum wage in Illinois is currently $8.25/hr for employees over 18 and $7.75/hr for employees under 18, it is scheduled to increase to $11/hr on July 1, 2017 in Chicago and to $10/hr on July 1, 2017 in suburban Cook County.
Below is a chart listing the states which increased their minimum wage on January 1, comparing their 2017 minimum wage to that in 2016:
States
|
2016
Minimum Wage
|
2017
Minimum Wage
|
Alaska
|
$9.75
|
$9.80
|
Arizona
|
$8.05
|
$10
|
Arkansas
|
$8.00
|
$8.50
|
California
|
$10
|
$10.50
|
Colorado
|
$8.31
|
$9.30
|
Connecticut
|
$9.60
|
$10.10
|
Florida
|
$8.05
|
$8.10
|
Hawaii
|
$8.50
|
$9.25
|
Maine
|
$7.50
|
$9
|
Maryland
|
$8.75
|
$9.25
|
Massachusetts
|
$10
|
$11
|
Michigan
|
$8.50
|
$8.90
|
Missouri
|
$7.65
|
$7.70
|
Montana
|
$8.05
|
$8.15
|
New Jersey
|
$8.38
|
$8.44
|
New York
|
$9
|
$9.70
|
Ohio
|
$8.10
|
$8.15
|
Oregon
|
$9.75
|
$10.25
|
South Dakota
|
$8.55
|
$8.65
|
Vermont
|
$9.60
|
$10
|
Washington
|
$9.47
|
$11
|
