Tips to avoid an unhappy holiday season

NAPSI - With just six days until Christmas, the United States Postal Service urges customers to be vigilant to avoid mail fraud and theft. Tis' the season for scammers and theives looking to ruin your holiday cheer.

By now, you have seen dozens of videos of "porch pirates" - brazen theives who steal packages from doorstep in broad daylight - thanks to the door and security cameras. Mail and packages delivered to homes in nice, upscale neighborhoods, such as this one shown in this news report and this one on the other side of the country, are not spared from the most unlikely looking dispicable criminals.

Here are some of the common mistakes people make during the holidays that lead to a lot of frustration for you and pure delight for the bad guys:

1. Get swindled. Scammers use bogus charities and underhanded tactics to fraudulently take money from you and away from legitimate charities, especially at the holidays. Before you donate, check out the charity and look carefully at the name. Be sure to make your check payable to the organization and not to an individual. And don’t let them pressure you to give money on the spot. 

2. Advertise your vacation. A visible pile of delivered mail and packages in front of your home is an invitation for the bad guys to help themselves. If you will be out of town or away for an extended period, have your mail held at your local Post Office. Use the HOLD MAIL feature on the USPS.com website or choose the HOLD FOR PICKUP option when shipping. 

3. Give away cash. Cash is untraceable. It’s easy to steal, making it a tempting target for thieves. Send money another way, such as with a check or USPS money order. 

4. Start a fire. Sending hazardous items can spark a fire in the mail system or cause someone harm. Check to see if your items are prohibited or restricted before going to your local Post Office location. 

5. Neighborhood (un)watch. Large volumes of mail and packages make postal employees tempting targets for crooks. Keep an eye out for the safety of your mail carriers. If you see something suspicious or someone following your carrier, call the police immediately.

6. Ignore your doors. If you don’t keep an eye on your door and porch, you can be sure the bad guys will. If you have a camera system, make sure it’s focused on capturing activity at your front door or mailbox. 

7. Keep secrets. When you do not report a mail theft or fraud, the crook gets away with a crime. Report it! Call 1-877-876-2455. You can also report mail crime by visiting USPIS.gov/Report. 

8. Mess with the mail. Mess with the mail and you could go to jail. 

For more great tips you can use not just during the holidays, but all year long, visit the website at uspis.gov/holiday-2022. 

Cha-ching! Illinois minimum wage climbs to $11/hr January

In 12 days, starting on January 1, 2021, new minimum wage rates will go into effect in Illinois. The statewide minimum wage rate increases to $11 per hour and to $6.60 for tipped workers. Despite the turbulent effects of the COVID-19 pandemic on the business economy this year, most Illinoisans saw two minimum wage increases -- first to $9.25 in January and then to $10 in July.

"We want to make sure that workers earning minimum wage are aware that the $1 increase should be reflected in their pay checks for any time they work after the first of the year," said Michael Kleinik, director of the Illinois Department of Labor. "While we fully expect employers will pay the new wage, we also want workers to be aware of the change."

In 2019, Pritzker signed legislation into law a plan to increase minimum wage rate to $15 per hour and $9 for tipped workers by 2025. The new law kept in place allowances for employers to count gratuities to offset wages for workers such as food servers who regularly earn tips. Tipped employees may be paid 60% of the hourly minimum wage. Officials say these workers must still earn the minimum wage after receiving tips or the employer is required make up the shortfall.

Before the increases over past 12 months, the state's minimum wage rate was $8.25 and $13 per hour in Cook County. Currently, Chicago's minimum wage is $13.50 per hour for "small employers" and $14 for "large employers." Chicago, thanks to an ordinance approved by the city council in November 2019, will reach the mandated $15 per hour by the state almost four years earlier in July of next year.

According to a 2017 report by the National Employment Law Project, 41 percent of all workers in Illinois currently earn under the living wage of $15 per hour. That fact was backed up in a more recent study by the Illinois Economic Policy Institute at the University of Illinois said more than 1.4 million adult hourly workers in Illinois make less than $15 per hour. Illinois was the first state in Midwest to officially move to a $15 minimum wage standard.

Employees with problems regarding the minimum wage can file a complaint with Illinois Department of Labor (IDOL) or call (312) 793-2800. It is illegal for your employer to fire or retaliate against you in any way for asking about minimum wage compensation. Should you feel you have been treated unfairly for asking or complaining about your wages, you should the IDOL, the US Department of Labor or speak to a local attorney specializing in employment law.

Employers in Illinois are required to post the "Your Rights Under Illinois Employment Laws" posters in a conspicuous location where notices to employees are normally displayed.

If you feel you are a victim of illegal discrimination, you should contact the Illinois Department of Human Rights, contact the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) or an attorney.