Ohio’s Minimum Wage Set to Go Up in the New Year

ZANESVILLE, OH – The minimum wage here in Ohio is going up with the start of the New Year.

The minimum wage is set to increase from $10.45 an hour for non-tipped employees to $10.70 an hour.

The minimum wage for tipped employees like waitresses and servers will increase as well from $5.25 an hour to $5.35 an hour.

Stephen Clegg, the Director of Ohio Wage and Hour, says a Constitutional Amendment that was passed in November, 2006 states that Ohio’s minimum wage will increase on January 1st each year to keep up with inflation.

“The inflationary rate is calculated by the U.S. Government, by the Federal Government, and we use what’s called the Consumer Price Index for urban workers.” Clegg said. “And that went up this year, by about 2 and a half percent so our minimum wage is tied directly to that and so every year since 2007, the initiative passed in ‘06, since ‘07 we’ve made this adjustment every year.”

Clegg says this change applies to Ohio businesses with annual gross receipts of $394,000 starting in 2025.

He says smaller companies that make less than that can still pay their employees the federal minimum wage of $7.25 an hour.

“As of January 1st, if you’re currently making the $10.45 an hour as minimum wage then you are going to get that raise, that extra quarter an hour is going to come on there.” Clegg said. “It does keep up with inflation, but for employer impact we try to help as much as we can, we try to educate on things like this, to let employers know, you know watch out for Jan. 1st, you’re going to have a new rate.”

If you want more information on the minimum wage increase you can head to com.ohio.gov.