Grocery Worker Wage: Arlington Heights vs Chicago
How do grocery worker wage rules compare between Arlington Heights, IL and Chicago, IL?
Arlington Heights and Chicago have similar restriction levels.
Arlington Heights, IL
Cook County
Cook County has not adopted a grocery worker premium wage ordinance like Los Angeles GWRO. Illinois state law sets a $15 statewide minimum wage as of January 2025. Cook County Minimum Wage Ordinance 16-O-34 sets a higher floor for opt-in municipalities only.
View full Arlington Heights rules →Chicago, IL
Cook County
Chicago has not enacted a grocery-worker-specific minimum wage. The general Chicago Minimum Wage Ordinance MCC 1-24 covers all sectors uniformly, while the LA grocery-wage and pandemic-premium-pay model has no equivalent in Illinois.
View full Chicago rules →Key Facts Comparison
| Fact | Arlington Heights | Chicago |
|---|---|---|
| Cook ordinance | None for grocery workers | - |
| State minimum | $15 per hour 2025 | - |
| Cook minimum | $15.40 per hour 2025 | - |
| LA equivalent | GWRO not adopted here | - |
| General floor | - | MCC 1-24 single rate |
| Large-employer wage 2025 | - | $16.20 per hour |
| Grocery premium | - | None enacted |
| COVID hazard pay | - | Never adopted |
| Enforcement office | - | Office of Labor Standards |
Highlighted rows indicate differences between cities.
Arlington Heights FAQ
Do grocery workers in Cook County get hazard pay?
No ongoing hazard pay is mandated. The pandemic-era Cook County hazard pay programs ended in 2022. Employers may voluntarily provide premiums but no ordinance requires them.
What wage applies to grocery workers in suburban Cook?
Cook County minimum wage ($15.40 in 2025) in non-opt-out municipalities, and the state $15 floor in opt-out suburbs. Tipped and youth rates differ slightly under both regimes.
Chicago FAQ
Do Chicago grocery workers get a wage premium?
No. The general minimum wage applies to grocery workers like other industries. There is no LA-style $5 per hour grocery worker premium or COVID hazard pay in Chicago, despite 2021 proposals that did not advance.
Could Chicago pass a grocery wage law?
Yes in principle. Illinois does not preempt local wage ordinances above the state floor. Adoption would require Council passage. As of 2026, no active grocery-specific wage measure is pending in committee.
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