Illinois QC workers with tip-related jobs could see a change in pay
Illinois’ current minimum wage for traditional workers is $14 an hour. It will go up to $15 an hour next year.
However, the minimum wage for employees who earn tips is $8.40 an hour. Employers are required to make up the difference if tips don’t boost their employees’ pay to at least the standard minimum wage. Now, lawmakers could raise the hourly rate for tipped workers to $15-per-hour starting in 2025
Tipping is a heavily debated topic, and an Illinois proposal may change the amount employees get tipped – if at all. Merissa Rhodes is the owner of The Little Brown Box Delicatessen in Moline. She believes a minimum wage change would help servers on slow days when tips are hard to come by. “I appreciate my employees and they should get their tips,” Rhodes said. “If people are willingly to tip its appreciated but not expected.”
“It’s hard to say I wouldn’t be okay with it because I feel like your employees are your best assets and you should definitely treat them as so,” Rhodes added. “I feel it’s pretty unlivable for a server to make that amount, especially during the economy right now, where most businesses are slow. They are not making enough to make ends meet, pay their bills, and take care of their kids.”
Adrian Sanchez owns Chimies Taco Bar, also in Moline. He believes his employees could get cheated out of their tips and employees will have to work more hours to make the same amount of money. “If they raise minimum wage, the prices of goods will increase and people will be less inclined to tip,” Sanchez said. “That will affect the servers’ pockets at the end of the day because they’ll make minimum wage instead of making $20, $25 an hour.”
V.I.P’S Corner Bar and Grill owner Laurie McNamee, agrees. She believes the motivation for achieving good customer service may be lost down the line if the bill goes through.
“That’ll probably actually cut their money for what they normally make,” Mcnamee said. “I feel like the productivity of the people will be a lot less. They’re going to be happy to stand around. I’ve been doing this for 30 years. It works out in your benefit with the tips that you make.”
Data from the National Restaurant Association indicates the median earnings for tipped restaurant employees in Illinois is more than $28 an hour.
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