SPRINGFIELD – On January 1st, the minimum wage in Illinois has been increased to $11 for hourly workers and $8.50 for youth workers. This does concern industry leaders, because 33% of the increased wages stem from the coronavirus pandemic. However, the goal of this increase was to help workers earn enough money to support their families during this crisis, according to the Illinois Department of Labor.

(Compiled from 23WIFR for the Guilford Voyager by Anthony Paez, original reporting by Elaine Rojas-Castillo)