July 4, 2010, 05:00:00AM. By Charles Benson

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Champaign, IL: An important change to Illinois employment law goes into effect this July as the state increases its minimum wage to $8.25 an hour.

The increase gives Illinois the third-highest minimum wage in the nation, reports the News-Gazette.

The change to the Illinois minimum wage is a result of legislation from 2006, which bumped the figure from $6.50 to $7.50 an hour in July 2007. Increases of 25 cents an hour staggered over the next three years will ultimately boost the minimum hourly wage to $8.25.

The new wage is for adults. Those under the age of 18 will see their minimum rate increase from $7.50 to $7.75 an hour.

Workers who receive tips can be paid up to 60 percent of the minimum wage, which comes out to $4.95 an hour for adults and $4.65 an hour for minors.

According to the US Department of Labor, only Washington and Oregon have higher minimum wages than Illinois, with $8.55 and $8.40 an hour, respectively. Connecticut and Washington, DC require the same $8.25 hourly rate.

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