Wage and Hour Laws in Illinois

 Posted on September 27,2013 in Employment Lawyer

If you are an employee in the state of Illinois, it is important that you be familiar with the wage and hour laws. In the event that you have found yourself in a situation in which an employer has not paid you minimum wage or has violated hour laws, you want to be informed and educated so that you are aware of it and can fix the issue.

The minimum wage here in Illinois is $8.25 per hour, although some exceptions do apply. Employers are required to pay employees working overtime at a rate of 1 ½ times their regular pay rate. They are also required by law to give employees at least 24 hours of rest time in each calendar week. However, if an employer acquires a permit, their employees can be allowed to work seven days each calendar week. This permit is only needed after seven weeks of an employee working seven days a week.

When an employee works 7 ½ continuous hours or more, the employer is required to allow them to take a meal period of at least 20 minutes. This meal time does not have to be paid, but it must be given five hours after an employee begins working. When it comes to employees under the age of 16, Illinois law requires employers to provide a meal period of at least 30 minutes if the employee works more than five consecutive hours.

No employee wants to be denied their right to minimum wage or breaks during the work week (or work shift). It is important to be familiar with wage and hour laws so that you can be sure you are treated fairly. If you or someone you know has found yourself in a situation in which an employer has not followed the above laws, do not hesitate to contact an Illinois employment attorney to fight for your rights.