Arise Chicago is a leading local organization building the way to systemic workplace improvements for workers at the city, county, and state levels. Arise Chicago has joined and founded several coalitions in order to advocate for public policy changes most effectively. Arise trains and organizes low-wage workers and religious allies to advocate for policies that will benefit their families and entire communities. To get involved with any of our active legislative campaigns, contact Public Policy Director, Adam Kader.

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Current Campaigns

Illinois Workplace Extreme Temperature Safety Act

It is an enduring injustice that the United States does not have minimum and maximum temperature standards for our workplaces. Arise is a leading partner in the Illinois Temperature Safety Coalition, advocating for legislation to establish those standards for all Illinois workplaces. 

Illinois Paid Family Medical Leave Act

Arise is proud of our previous campaigns to win paid sick days and paid time off for workers in Chicago and Illinois. Now is the time to expand our rights to paid family and medical leave. Find more information on our coalition website.

Illinois Minimum Wage Increase  

Affordability remains the number one issue for working people. Wages are not keeping pace with inflation and the increased costs of living. For the last five years, the state's minimum wage has increased. But now it has reached its final increase to $15, with no further increases for 2026. Meanwhile, soaring costs of living and inflation mean the gains of the last few years fall short and threaten to further impoverish workers. Arise Chicago and our partners in the Wage Justice Illinois coalition are advocating for legislation that would increase the state minimum wage.

Past Victories

Chicago Office of Labor Standards

Arise Chicago led the winning campaign and ordinance to create a Chicago Office of Labor Standards to enforce City workplace protections in 2018. Protections include Chicago's Minimum Wage, Earned Sick Time, Anti-Wage Theft, and, starting July 2020, Fair Workweek ordinances. The Chicago Office of Labor opened in 2019 and is housed within the Department of Business Affairs and Consumer Protection.

Chicago Paid Sick Days

Arise Chicago is a proud founding member of the Earned Sick Time Chicago coalition. After a three-and-a-half-year campaign, organizing worker members and religious leaders, with our coalition, we won a Chicago Paid Sick Days Ordinance in June 2016. The groundbreaking law covers workers at all employers of any size, expands the definition of family, and includes coverage for issues related to domestic violence and public health emergencies, including school closures. The ordinance goes into effect on July 1, 2017, and will impact 460,000 workers.

Cook County Paid Sick Days

Arise Chicago is a proud founding member of the Earned Sick Time coalition that organized to win passage of the Cook County Paid Sick Days Ordinance in October 2016. The ordinance goes into effect on July 1, 2017 and will benefit 441,000 workers in Cook County, outside of Chicago. Together with the Chicago ordinance, over 1 million workers will benefit.

Illinois Domestic Workers Bill of Rights

Arise Chicago is a proud founding member of the Illinois Domestic Workers Bill of Rights coalition. After a five-year campaign of training and organizing workers, religious leaders, and allies, and educating legislators, in August 2016, we won the Bill of Rights! The law went into effect on January 1, 2017, providing home cleaners, nannies, and care workers with basic employment protections, including the state minimum wage, one day of rest in seven, and freedom from sexual harassment. The victory made Illinois the seventh state in the country with domestic worker protections.

Cook County Anti-Wage Theft Ordinance

Inspired by a large Arise Worker Center workplace justice campaign in a Chicago suburb, Arise Chicago partnered with the Cook County Board of Commissioners to create groundbreaking legislation at the county level. The ordinance, passed unanimously in February 2015, revokes or denies tax incentives or business licenses to corporations found guilty of wage theft. The ordinance went into effect on May 1, 2015.

Chicago Anti-Wage Theft Ordinance

Arise Chicago led the effort to make Chicago the largest city in the nation to have an ordinance that punishes employers who are found guilty of committing wage theft by revoking or not renewing their business license. The ordinance was passed unanimously in the city council and began to take effect on July 1, 2013.