Ohio Minimum Wage Increases January 1, 2012

Ohio’s minimum wage is scheduled to increase on January 1, 2012 to $7.70 per hour for non-tipped employees and to $3.85 per hour for tipped employees, plus tips.

Ohio’s current minimum wage is $7.40 per hour for non-tipped employees and $3.70 for tipped employees, plus tips.

On January 1, 2012, the increased minimum wage will apply to employers who gross more than $283,000 per year. Currently, Ohio’s minimum wage applies to employers who gross over $271,000 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 4.3 percent from September 1, 2010 to August 31, 2011. The Amendment also states that the wage rate shall be rounded to the nearest 5 cents. The Constitutional Amendment is available HERE. 

For employees at smaller companies (grossing $271,000 or less per year or $283,000 or less per year after January 1, 2012) 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.

Information on Ohio’s 2012 minimum wage is available at http://www.com.ohio.gov/laws/docs/dico_MinimumWagePoster2012.pdf