Effective July 1, 2020, the minimum wage for Illinois will increase from $9.25 to $10.00 per hour. Employees currently earning more than the new minimum wage per hour can remain at their present rate. This increase will not require an update to the IL Dept of Labor's required postings, provided your business is displaying the poster effective January 1, 2020. 

The poster effective January 1, 2020 can be downloaded at:
https://www.2illinois.gov/idol/Employers/pages/posters.aspx

Payroll Transition
All hours worked on or after midnight, July 1, 2020, should be paid at the higher applicable minimum wage rate. If an hourly employee's workday spans across June 30, 2020 and July 1, 2020, two different rates could be used. 

The Resident Incentive for Purchases to Promote the Local Economy (RIPPLE) program is an economic tool created by the City of Sullivan to encourage our residents to patronize businesses located in the City that have been impacted by COVID-19. RIPPLE provides reimbursement to Sullivan residents in the form of a credit on a future utility bill for qualifying purchases at retail and restaurant establishments. 

RIPPLE Program
Resident Incentive for Purchases to Promote the Local Economy

What’s Offered: $75 credit on your utility bill Who Qualifies: Each residential household which receives a utility bill from any City of Sullivan utility department. (An individual cannot qualify on multiple accounts) When: Purchases made at qualifying businesses from June 15 through August 15, 2020 Spent: A minimum of $100 at Sullivan restaurants to receive a utility credit of $25. A minimum of $200 at other retail businesses or shops to receive a utility credit of $50. Do both and the total utility credit will be $75.

• Sexual Harassment Training: Any establishment serving any type of alcohol and benefit from the sale of “ready-to-eat food” will now be required to do additional training and implement sexual harassment policies. The general rules and policies include:
• Every employer must have a sexual harassment policy in writing in a staff employment handbook;
• Employers are required to provide sexual harassment training within the first calendar week of the new employee’s start date;
• Employers’ sexual harassment policy shall be available in English and Spanish;
• Training must occur and be documented every year for all employees; and
• Every written sexual harassment policy must have clearly defined language outlining:
• Definition of sexual harassment;
• Details on how and to whom employees can report instances of sexual harassment;
• A detailed explanation of the internal complaint process for employee sexual harassment complaints;
• How to contact and file a charge with the Illinois Department of Human Rights and the United States Equal Employment Opportunity Commission; and
• A prohibition on retaliation for reporting sexual harassment allegations.

Businesses who fail to comply with this law will receive a notice from the Illinois Department of Human Rights requiring employers to comply within 30 days. If the employer does not comply within the 30 days, the employer will receive a civil fine.

For the Gas Tax increase July 1 - In the spring of 2019, state lawmakers approved a bill to double the state’s tax on gasoline to 38 per gallon from 19 cents to help fund the capital plan. It also included a provision to automatically raise the tax every July 1 by the rate of inflation prior to March of that year, and not to exceed 1 cent. This year (2020), that means an increase of 0.7 cents, according to the Illinois Department of Revenue.


Just as an FYI, Vehicle Registration Tax (Wheel Tax), State of Illinois – The State of Illinois increased the vehicle registration fee for passenger vehicles from $98 to $148 per year beginning with the 2021 registration year, effective January 1, 2020 with the adoption of Public Act 101-0032. For large vehicles, the registration fee increases from $98 to $148 for trucks 8,000 pounds or less. For trucks above 8,000 pounds, the registration fee increases by $100 for each weight class. Electric vehicles are now to pay the same amount as gas powered vehicles plus pay an additional $100 per year in lieu of the payment of motor fuel taxes beginning January 1, 2020, or a total of $248. In addition to the vehicle registration fee, the State also imposes a $1.00 surcharge that is collected and deposited into the State Police Vehicle Fund and a $2.00 surcharge collected and deposited into the Park and Conservation Fund.