Hourly workers across West Chester and Liberty townships will see a 40-cent raise starting Jan. 1, 2027, when Ohio's minimum wage climbs from $11 to $11.40 per hour.

The Ohio Department of Commerce announced the increase on Wednesday, Sept. 30. Tipped employees will go from $5.50 to $5.70 per hour. Both adjustments represent a 3.5% increase over 2026 rates.

The increase applies to hourly employers across the townships, including restaurants and retailers that pay workers at or near the current minimum.

Who it applies to

The new $11.40 rate covers employees at businesses with annual gross receipts above $420,000. That threshold itself rose from $405,000 under the current rules.

Workers at smaller businesses, those with gross receipts of $420,000 or less, and 14- and 15-year-old employees will still earn the federal minimum wage of $7.25 per hour. Any change to that federal rate would require an act of Congress and the president's signature, according to the department.

Why it rises every year

Ohio voters approved Constitutional Amendment II-34a in November 2006. It requires the state minimum wage to rise each Jan. 1 by the rate of inflation.

The annual adjustment is pegged to the Consumer Price Index for urban wage earners and clerical workers, known as the CPI-W. The 3.5% figure for 2027 reflects the CPI-W change measured from Sept. 1, 2025, through Aug. 31, 2026.

Ohio's minimum wage has risen every year under the formula. The state rate remains well above the federal floor of $7.25, which has not changed since 2009.

What employers need to do

Businesses must display the official 2027 minimum wage poster once the new rate takes effect Jan. 1, 2027. The poster is available through the Ohio Division of Industrial Compliance website.

The state's announcement did not include comment from a named official.

Employers with questions can contact the Ohio Department of Commerce's Bureau of Wage and Hour Administration, which enforces the state's minimum wage laws.