With a progressive mayor who is a champion of the “One Fair Wage” campaign, it’s not a matter of if, but when, Chicago eliminates the “sub-minimum wage” for tipped workers.
Now, an influential ally of Mayor Brandon Johnson is proposing yet another mandate with potential to heap even higher costs on small businesses struggling to stay alive.
Before the City Council adjourns for the summer, Workforce Development Chair Mike Rodriguez (22nd) plans to use Wednesday’s meeting to introduce an ordinance ensuring that every private and public sector employee in Chicago could earn one hour of paid leave for every 15 hours worked.
That amounts to 15 or more days of paid time off every year for the average full-time employee — leave available “for any reason,” not simply for illness.
Rodriguez called it “the largest expansion of paid time off” granted by any American city.
He plans a news conference before Wednesday’s Council meeting flanked by Starbucks employees and domestic workers and joined by Chicago Federation of Labor Secretary-Treasurer Don Villar, Raise the Floor Executive Director Sophia Zaman, a co-chair of Johnson’s Labor and Workforce Transition Committee and by officials from Arise Chicago, Women Employe and the Shriver Center on Poverty Law.
“Working people need this time. This is normal for a lot of salaried individuals. We want working-class people to have the same benefits that all people have,” Rodriguez said.
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