SCH CD-MINIMUM EMPLOYEE SALARY

104th Regular Session Introduced by Norine Hammond and 1 co-sponsor

Sets minimum hourly wages for non-teaching educational support staff in Illinois districts, starting at $20 in 2027-28 and increasing to $22 by 2029-30, with future CPI-based incre

Overview

HB4688, introduced in the 104th Illinois General Assembly, would establish minimum hourly wage standards for certain school district employees who provide educational support services. The bill sets specific starting minimums for the 2027-2028 through 2029-2030 school years and ties future minimums to changes in the Consumer Price Index (CPI). It defines who counts as an “employee” under the measure and requires that salary calculations include employer contributions to the Illinois Municipal Retirement Fund (IMRF).

Purpose and intent

Create a state-mablished floor for the wages of non-teaching educational support staff employed by school districts or joint agreements.

Phase in higher minimums over a three-year period (2027-2028 through 2029-2030) and subsequently adjust annually based on inflation (CPI-U for all items).

Ensure retirement system contributions counted toward compensation, recognizing IMRF contributions as part of an employee’s salary.

Key provisions

Section added: 105 ILCS 5/24-8.2 (new)

Minimum hourly rates (for each school year):

2027-2028: not less than $20 per hour
2028-2029: not less than $21 per hour
2029-2030: not less than $22 per hour

Post-2029-2030 adjustment: the minimum hourly rate for each subsequent school year increases by the same percentage as the CPI-U (All items, U.S. Department of Labor) for the previous school year.

Definition of “employee” (for this section): includes any school district or joint agreement employee who provides educational support services (examples: custodial, transportation, food service, classroom assistants, administrative staff, paraprofessional educators, etc.).

Salary components: an employee’s salary must include any school district or joint agreement payments on behalf of the employee to the Illinois Municipal Retirement Fund (IMRF) as employee contributions.

Effective date: the act takes effect immediately upon becoming law.

Who would be affected

Employees who provide educational support services in Illinois school districts or joint agreements, including:

Custodial staff
Transportation workers
Food service personnel
Classroom assistants and paraprofessionals
Administrative staff

Governing boards of school districts and joint agreements (as they would be responsible for implementing the new minimums).

Procedural and timeline considerations

Effective immediately upon enactment.

Staffing districts and joint agreements would need to adjust compensation structures to meet the stated minimum hourly rates starting in the 2027-2028 school year.

Local districts may need to assess budgeting to accommodate higher wage floors and the inclusion of IMRF contributions as part of compensation.

Potential impact (highlights)

Increases in wages for a broad set of educational support staff over time, improving compensation floors.

Administrative and budgeting implications for school districts to meet minimum hourly rates and to treat IMRF contributions as part of salary.

Annual CPI-based adjustments could keep wage floors aligned with inflation, potentially reducing real wage erosion for these workers in subsequent years.

No changes to teaching staff salaries are specified; the bill targets non-teaching support staff.