Best Ohio Wage And Hour Attorney Answer: What Is Ohio’s Minimum Wage for 2015? How Often Does Ohio’s Minimum Wage Increase? Are There Any Exemptions To Ohio’s Minimum Wage Requirements?
Welcome to 2015. (Belatedly). Per the Ohio constitution, every new year means good news for Ohio employees who earn the minimum wage: an automatic raise. Effective January 1, 2015, Ohio’s minimum wage increased from $7.95 per hour to $8.10 per hour for non-tipped employees, and from $3.98 to $4.05 per hour for tipped employees.
Unlike many states, Ohio’s minimum wage is constitutionally guaranteed to automatically increase every year, based on inflation:
[the] state minimum wage rate shall be increased effective the first day of the following January by the rate of inflation for the twelve month period prior to that September according to the consumer price index or its successor index for all urban wage earners and clerical workers for all items as calculated by the federal government rounded to the nearest five cents.
This constitutional requirement is the result of an amendment to Ohio’s constitution that was passed by Ohio voters in 2006. As a result, Ohio employees who earn the minimum wage can expect another automatic raise in 2016.
There are very few exceptions to Ohio’s minimum wage requirements. For example, the Ohio constitution limits compliance with Ohio’s minimum wage rate to employers who have gross receipts greater than $297,000. Employers who have gross receipts of less than this amount must only pay employees the federal minimum wage, which is currently $7.25 per hour for non-tipped employees, and $2.13 per hour for tipped employees. Likewise, employers only have to pay the lower federal rate to employees under age 16, and can obtain a license from the state to pay less than the minimum wage to persons with physical or mental impairments that would otherwise adversely affect their ability to find employment ( I personally believe this is a form of legalized disability discrimination but that is the law).
Ohio also has a statue, R.C. § 4111.14 that purports to further limit the number of employees who must be paid Ohio’s minimum wage. However, as our wage lawyers have blogged before, Ohio courts have found that this limitation is unconstitutional, and as such, it is doubtful an employer could rely on these limitations to avoid paying employees the proper minimum wage.
If you believe that your employer is not paying you all of your wages, paying you less than minimum wage, unlawfully deducting money from your paycheck, not paying you time and a half for overtime, or is otherwise cheating you out of wages requires contact the minimum wage violation lawyers and overtime claim attorneys at Spitz, The Employee’s Law Firm today for a free and confidential initial consultation. You may have a claim under the Federal Fair Labor Standards Act or Ohio Fair Labor Standards Act. The wage and hour lawyers at Spitz, The Employee’s Law Firm will provide you with the best options for your wage and hour pay dispute situation. If you even think that you may be entitled to overtime pay that you are not being paid, call 866-797-6040.
Disclaimer:
The materials available at the top of this overtime, wage and hour web page and at this employment law website are for informational purposes only and not for the purpose of providing legal advice. If you are still asking, “Am I entitled to overtime?”, “Does my job have to pay me for …”, “My paycheck is not right…” or “What do I do if…”, the your best option is to contact an Ohio overtime attorney to obtain advice with respect to FLSA questions or any particular employment law issue. Use and access to this employment law website or any of the links contained within the site do not create an attorney-client relationship. The legal opinions expressed at the top of this page or through this site are the opinions of the individual lawyer and may not reflect the opinions of Spitz, The Employee’s Law Firm, Brian Spitz, or any individual attorney.