State’s minimum wage to increase

VW independent staff/submitted information

COLUMBUS — Ohio’s minimum wage will go up on New Year’s Day.

The Ohio Department of Commerce Division of Industrial Compliance’s Bureau of Wage and Hour Administration has announced that Ohio’s minimum wage will officially increase to $11.40 per hour for non-tipped employees and $5.70 per hour for tipped employees, The increase represents a 3.5 percent increase from the current rates of $11 for non-tipped employees and $5.50 for tipped employees.

The change reflects the mandate of a constitutional amendment passed by Ohio voters in November 2006, which states Ohio’s minimum wage shall increase on January 1 each year by the rate of inflation.

In addition to the wage rate adjustment, the threshold for business applicability will also change. Effective January 1, 2027, the Ohio minimum wage will apply to businesses with annual gross receipts of more than $420,000, which is an increase from the current $405,000 threshold.

For employees at businesses with annual gross receipts of $420,000 or less per year after January 1, 2027, and for 14- and 15-year-old workers, the state minimum wage remains tied to the federal minimum wage of $7.25 per hour. Any changes to this rate would require an act of the U.S. Congress and the President’s signature.

To ensure compliance, employers are required to display the official 2027 Minimum Wage poster, which is available on the Division of Industrial Compliance website.