Barrington creates loophole for Cook County minimum wage

The Barrington Village Board recently passed an ordinance which would allow businesses to ignore new Cook County laws that increase the minimum wage and guarantee sick time for employees, according to the Barrington Courier-Review.

Last month the Cook County Board of Commissioners approved a minimum wage increase to $10 per hour to take effect in July 2017. The county-wide hourly wage will gradually increase to $13 per hour in 2020. The board also mandated that employers grant their workers one hour of sick time for every 40 hours worked.

Since Barrington straddles the border between Cook and Lake counties, Village officials were able to craft an ordinance which would allow businesses in the Cook County portion of the town to just follow state and federal labor laws. Village Manager Jeff Lawler said the goal of the board's action was to ensure fair competition between businesses in the different parts of Barrington.

The Illinois state minimum wage is $8.25 per hour. Someone working minimum wage for 40 hours per week, 52 weeks per year would have an annual income of $17,160. The federal poverty line for an individual is $11,880; it is $16,020 for a family of two.

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