With the news that multiple states would see an increase in the federal minimum wage for 2014, many employers in Illinois have been looking for ways to attract the best candidates to their doors with an improved compensation strategy. Although Illinois has one of the highest minimum wages, higher than the national average, there is still a struggle for the best talent. It can be difficult to compete for talent because Illinois is in a period of rebuilding, like many areas that were hit hard by the recession.

In Illinois, the minimum wage stands at $8.25 for 2014. According to the US Census Bureau, in 2013, the average household income in Illinois was $59,861 for a family of two, and $80,776 for a family of four. This indicates that working people are earning at least 70% above minimum wages. This goes for those who work in temporary contracts too. Typically, employers try to offer temporary employees an hourly wage that’s more than minimum wage. They do this for several reasons:

• Desire to attract a skilled labor force that are seeking competitive salaries, benefits, and work opportunities.
• The need to hire pre-qualified and skilled employees who have outstanding backgrounds and educations.
• Avoiding the pitfalls of losing employees after they have invested in recruitment and training programs.

The Fair Labor Standards Act very closely oversees the wages that all employers offer to workers, with strict guidelines that temporary agencies must also follow. Any temporary agency must be licensed with the state of Illinois to recruit temp employees. In addition, wages that are paid to temp employees must be comparable to those paid to the average worker for each job type. Most agencies go above and beyond this, offering higher starting salaries and providing benefits and bonuses to their temps. They do this because they want to make sure they earn a solid reputation in the industry for being a temp agency of choice. Hiring companies then contract with temp agencies as partners in acquiring all future talent.

It’s important to note that the salary range for a temp job varies depending on factors such as: difficulty of the job, required skills and education of the job, and the job industry. Examples of the types of jobs and temp wages offered include:

• General Laborers and Assemblers in manufacturing earning between $8.50 to $9.50 per hour
• Machine, Saw and Lathe Operators in manufacturing jobs earn $9.25 to $11 per hour
• QA Technicians in Food Production can expect to earn around $14 per hour
• Maintenance Mechanics earning $19 to 23 per hour for their skills
• Sales, Administrative and Customer Service temps earn around $12 to $19 per hour

Where do you stand in terms of the wages you are offering to your employees? If you are experiencing high levels of turnover or having trouble attracting good candidates, perhaps there is a better way? Companies that turn to temporary agencies in Illinois are smart because they are able to reduce staffing costs, while offering something more to their employees. Staffing agencies can become an integral part of the process of hiring more quality candidates and developing a more attracting compensation package.

Want to learn more? Explore important recruitment and employment topics by reading a few more popular blog posts from Davis Staffing, a leading temporary staffing agency in Chicago IL!

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