No Minimum Wage Increase Or Mandatory Sick Leave Coming To Northbrook

UPDATE 11:20 p.m. After hearing from members of the public on both sides of the issue, Northbrook village trustees decided late Tuesday to opt out of Cook County's ordinance mandating a minimum wage hike and mandatory earned sick leave.

Trustees heard a series of impassioned arguments over the course of more than two hours of public comment. Local business owners voiced concerns about facing an uneven regulatory environment if the village did not exclude itself from the ordinance, while many Northbrook residents and activists made both made moral and economic arguments in favor of keeping the wage and benefit rules.

The Northbrook Board of Trustees voted 6-1 to opt out of the county's wage requirement and 5-2 in favor of avoiding its paid sick leave mandates. Only trustee Jason Han voted against the resolution to exempt local employers from the county's impending minimum wage increase. Trustee Muriel Collison joined him in voting against opting out of the sick leave requirements.

(Cook County's minimum wage ordinance passed last October and takes effect July 1. It will raise the minimum wage to $10 an hour immediately before raising it another dollar every year until 2020.)

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Original story

NORTHBROOK, IL — Northbrook Village Trustees could vote this week on a pair of ordinances stopping the minimum wage from rising above $8.25 per hour on July 1 and rejecting earned sick leave for workers.

At its Tuesday meeting, the Village Board is scheduled to consider whether or not to adopt a local ordinance allowing Northbrook employers to be exempted from Cook County rules regarding the minimum hourly wage and earned sick leave.

The Northbrook Chamber of Commerce has been lobbying for the change, without which Northbrook-based employers would be subjected at an even greater competitive disadvantage compared with businesses just over the border in Lake County, according to President Tensley Garris.

"These types of employment mandates should be addressed at the state level," Garris said. After hearing from local retailers, service businesses and manufacturers, she said, "The theme is pretty universal. They're really concerned about the ability to compete."

Earlier this year, the Chamber asked the the Village's Industrial and Commercial Development Commission, an 11-member advisory body that makes recommendations to the Board on business-related issues, to review Cook County's minimum wage ordinance.

That rule passed last October raises the minimum wage from $8.25 to $10 an hour starting July 1. After that, under the county-wide ordinance, the minimum hourly wage (without tips) will rise one dollar every year until reaching $13 per hour in July 2020. It also requires employers to provide workers with an hour of earned sick leave for every 40 hours worked, for a maximum of 40 hours a year.

In Northbrook, the ICDC and the Chamber both oppose the ordinance. On March 28, the commission voted 7-0 (with three members absent) to recommend exempting Northbrook employers from following the County law. When the Chamber sought feedback from local businesses, there was little opposition from its membership to the recommendation to block the pay rise.

"I was not personally contacted by any business owner or manager supporting these issues," said Garris, who also serves on the ICDC.

In non-binding referendums, Northbrook voters overwhelmingly supported raising the minimum wage (70.5 percent in November 2014) and enacting earned sick leave (75 percent in November 2016.)

Garris pointed out those questions asked about state-wide changes, rather than Cook County regulations. Opponents of opting out argued those results show there is significant support for keeping the wage and benefit boost among Northbrook residents.

Northbrook has a median annual income of $118,480, but it also is home to 3,460 families making less than $25,000 per year. If trustees vote to opt out, full-time minimum wage workers in Northbrook stand to lose $3,640 for the year starting this July and miss out on $2,080 each year until 2020, according to data provided by the faith and labor group Arise Chicago.

Northbrook resident Michelle Zenner Kohler of United North Shore is among those trying to keep the wage increase intact by stopping the board from adopting an opt out ordinance. Her group and others have encouraged people to attend Tuesday's meeting and hundreds have signed a petition to the board. She said it has been more than five years since low-wage workers have been a boost in pay, while the only concerns presented to the Village Board so far have those of businesses.

"These employees haven't had an increase since 2011. I personally don't believe that if you're working 40 hours a week you should be living in poverty, especially in a community like ours," Kohler said. She said research shows that businesses can absorb the increase in labor costs without relocating or cutting jobs.

Kohler and other supporters of the County ordinances point to studies that show paid sick day policies decrease government spending (mainly through health care costs and public assistance) while increasing families' economic security.

Village President Sandy Frum said she has not decided how she will vote on the matter, if the board chooses to vote at all this week. Following public comments, trustees could decide to postpone a decision. Only four trustees are expected to attend the next meeting, which would leave only the scheduled June 27 board meeting to take action before the new ordinance takes effect, Frum said.

Trustees A.C. Buehler and Bob Israel likewise said they have not decided how they will vote on the matter. They both said they are waiting to hear more information on the matter at Tuesday's meeting. Trustees James Karagianis, Kathryn Ciesla, Muriel Collison and Jason Han did not respond to emails and phone calls Monday on the issue.

Top photo | Northbrook Village Hall | Patch file