New Ohio Minimum Wage

The minimum wage in Ohio has not been raised in more than 10 years, employers, so don’t say you haven’t enjoyed the ride. But according to the Issue 2 in this past November election, the Ohio voters have passed the so-called Fair Minimum Wage initiative. To be exact, as many as 58 percent of the Ohio voters passed this measure.

In fact, this isn’t just some law that the Ohio people agreed to to raise the minimum wage. Issue 2 is actually a constitutional amendment in Ohio, which will raise the minimum wage from $5.15 per hour to $6.85 per hour, starting January 1 of the new year. The new amendment also makes certain that the minimum wage will increase in Ohio each year to keep up with inflation. The new amendment takes into account tipped employees, as well, increasing their minimum wage from $2.13 per hour to $3.43 per hour.

Not all employers in Ohio, however, will have to face the minimum wage set into motion by the voters in November. No, the amendment has certain exemptions in it for certain employers, including small businesses that don’t make more than $250,000 per year. Also not included in the new minimum wage raise are employers paying workers who are not age 16 or older.

Still, the state estimates that more than 300,000 workers in Ohio will be affected by the new minimum wage. Those are just the workers who make minimum wage. There are another 400,000 workers who make slightly above the minimum wage as it is who will probably be affected and see wage increases as well, according to the state and news reports. Put together these two numbers, and they make up more than 14 percent of all workers in the state. That will mean a lot of employers will be affected too.