Will Work for Fair Wages: Addressing the Illinois Restaurant Industry’s Ongoing Staffing Crisis
Overview
This report examines the severe staffing crisis in Illinois' restaurant industry, focusing on the refusal of workers to accept subminimum wages. Highlighting the plight of tipped workers, especially women and people of color, it links the crisis to the legacy of slavery and the pandemic's exacerbation of low wages, sexual harassment, and job abandonment.
Findings
Illinois faces the worst staffing crisis in its history, with low wages as the primary deterrent for workers returning to the industry.
Over half of the state's tipped workers report not receiving enough tips to meet the full minimum wage, disproportionately affecting Black workers.
Despite some restaurants raising wages to attract staff, a comprehensive policy change towards a full minimum wage with tips on top is necessary for a sustainable solution.
Implications for Policy and Practice
The report advocates for the abolition of the subminimum wage, suggesting that a shift to One Fair Wage could resolve the staffing crisis and improve conditions for tipped workers.
Related Evidence
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Published January 1, 2023View Evidence
This report explores the systemic issue of subminimum wages for tipped workers in Maryland, a direct legacy of slavery, affecting over 105,000 tipped workers, predominantly women and people of color. It highlights the refusal of workers to work for subminimum wages amid the pandemic, leading to a staffing crisis in Maryland's restaurant industry.
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Published April 1, 2023View Evidence
This report contrasts the effects of One Fair Wage policies in California against New York's subminimum wage system on small business restaurants, with a focus on sales, job growth, and the success of minority and women-owned business enterprises.
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Published May 1, 2023View Evidence
This guide discusses the implications of Initiative 82 in Washington D.C., aiming to reform the restaurant industry by transitioning from a tipping model to a service charge model. It highlights the historic move away from subminimum wages for tipped workers, aiming to create a fairer wage system.
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Published May 1, 2023View Evidence
This report addresses the National Restaurant Association's efforts to weaken child labor laws, contextualizing it within the staffing crisis in the restaurant industry. It highlights the historical context of the NRA's advocacy for subminimum wages and its shift towards advocating for relaxed child labor regulations to fill staffing shortages.
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Published June 1, 2023View Evidence
This report highlights the dual crises of youth unemployment and staffing shortages in Chicago's restaurant industry. It discusses the potential of One Fair Wage, a policy to ensure full minimum wage with tips on top for tipped workers, to address both issues simultaneously.