Minimum wage going up January 1

VW independent staff/submitted information

COLUMBUS — Minimum wage workers in Ohio will see more in their paychecks, starting January 1, 2024.

According to the Ohio Department of Commerce, the state’s minimum wage will go from the current $10.10 per hour rate to $10.45 per hour, effective January 1. Minimum wage for tipped employees will increase by 20 cents, to $5.25 per hour. The new minimum wage will apply to employees of businesses with annual gross receipts of more than $385,000 per year.

The Constitutional Amendment (II-34a) passed by Ohio voters in November 2006 states Ohio’s minimum wage shall increase on January 1 each year by the rate of inflation. The state minimum wage is tied to the Consumer Price Index (CPI-W) for urban wage earners and clerical workers over the 12-month period prior to September. The CPI-W index increased by 3.7 percent over the 12-month period from September 1, 2022, to August 31, 2023.

For employees at smaller companies with annual gross receipts of $385,000 or less per year after January 1, 2024, and for 14-and 15-year-olds, the state’s 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.