Navigating Cook County’s Challenges in Employment Law Compliance

Cook County’s employment law landscape presents unique challenges for employers.  In this article, we will discuss the challenges faced, examples, and solutions to help navigate the patchwork of employment laws in Cook County.  

Managing Locations in Diverse Minimum Wage Municipalities 

Cook County is notorious for its municipalities opting out of certain employment law ordinances. 

For context, home rule municipalities in Illinois, i.e.: cities with more than 25,000 residents or cities that have passed a local home rule referendum, can opt out of certain county-level ordinances. Consequently, around 80% of home rule municipalities within Cook County have opted out of county-level minimum wage requirements.  

After opting out, each home rule municipality can pass its own local minimum wage ordinance or follow the state. Notably, Chicago is currently the only city in Cook County that has passed a higher wage rate, so most cities in Cook County actually follow state minimum wage requirements. 

This creates a patchwork where one location follows county employment laws, while a nearby location in another municipality might follow state law.  The inconsistency complicates audits and operations for HR departments managing multiple locations across Cook County, if not using appropriate technology to manage jurisdictional compliance with employment laws. 

Complex Boundary Considerations 

Determining which employment law applies at a workplace location in Cook County can be challenging, especially for organizations operating in multiple jurisdictions or near city borders. Determining the precise location within Cook County is crucial because, as noted above, the applicable laws may change based on the jurisdiction.  

Overcoming a Real-Life Boundary Challenge in Cook County

An employer has a workplace location where the mailing address includes the city name of Chicago. On first glance, HR and Compensation Analysts may think that Chicago’s city-level ordinances, such as its minimum wage, paid leave, sexual harassment laws, etc., and their applicable labor law posters, apply. However, this location is actually within the jurisdictional boundaries of Bedford Park, just west of Chicago.  

Now knowing the location is in Bedford Park, Cook County’s requirements would apply, right? In this case, no.

Bedford Park is a home rule municipality that has opted out of Cook County’s minimum wage law. State of Illinois minimum wage, Cook County paid leave, and the applicable posters apply to this location.  

Finding Confidence in Cook County Jurisdictions with Technology 

HR teams should focus on employee satisfaction and company initiatives, while GovDocs reduces compliance risks of the wrong poster, inaccurate pay, and unreliable wages. Partnering with an employment law compliance provider who reduces manual jurisdictional assignment is a must. GovDocs uses LocationCheck™, a process of taking an organization’s physical address and assigning longitude and latitude coordinates to determine correct jurisdictional assignment. 

• Avoid paying costly fines and potential lawsuits for paying employees incorrectly 

• Implement organization wide audits with confidence, and avoid the risk of noncompliance