Ohio’s Minimum Wage Increase Takes Effect Wednesday

OHIO – Ohio’s minimum wage is scheduled to increase on January 1, 2014 to $7.95 per hour for non- tipped employees and to $3.98 per hour for tipped employees, plus tips according to the Ohio Department of Commerce. The increased minimum wage will apply to employees of businesses with annual gross receipts of more than $292,000 per year.

The current 2013 Ohio minimum wage is $7.85 per hour for non-tipped employees and $3.93 for tipped employees, plus tips. The 2013 Ohio minimum wage applies to employees of businesses with annual gross receipts of more than $288,000 per year.

The Constitutional Amendment passed by Ohio voters in November 2006 states that Ohio’s minimum wage shall increase on January 1 of each year by the rate of inflation. The state minimum wage is tied to the Consumer Price Index (CPI) for urban wage earners and clerical workers for the 12-month period prior to September. This CPI index rose 1.5 percent over the twelve month period from September 1, 2012 to August 31, 2013. The Amendment also states that the wage rate for non-tipped employees shall be rounded to the nearest five cents. The Constitutional Amendment is available online: www.legislature.state.oh.us.

For employees at smaller companies (with annual gross receipts of $288,000 or less per year in 2013 or $292,000 or less per year after January 1, 2014) and for 14- and 15-year-olds, the state minimum wage is $7.25 per hour. For these employees, the state wage is tied to the federal minimum wage of $7.25 per hour which requires an act of Congress and the President’s signature to change.