You can recover unpaid wages, overtime, and tips in Ohio if you know your rights and how to enforce them. Does your employer owe you unpaid wages or overtime? Or, maybe you need information on the breaks you’re entitled to, overtime rules, or your right to tips. If so, you'll find the information you need on this site to learn what you can do in Ohio to get the money you have earned.
Here, we answer many common questions about wage and hour law in Ohio, including:
- your rights to pay and what to do if you are owed pay
- whether you are eligible for overtime pay in Ohio
- your right to tips in Ohio
- what breaks you are entitled to in Ohio, and
- how to file a wage claim against your employer with the Ohio Department of Commerce.
A few things to keep in mind as you explore this site:
1. Wage and hour laws differ from state to state.
Most states have enacted their own wage and hour regulations and procedures for employees to follow if they have been treated unfairly. These regulations and procedures vary from state to state. Start by finding out about your rights to pay in Ohio.
2. Some states simply adopt the federal minimum wage and overtime standards, but most states have higher standards.
The U.S. Department of Labor covers minimum wage, overtime, and other wage and hour matters. In states that have not adopted their own wage and hour regulations and procedures, your rights are set out by the U.S. Department of Labor.
The Ohio Department of Commerce is the agency that enforces labor laws in Ohio. Check there to find out more about minimum wage and overtime rules in Ohio.
The minimum wage in Ohio is $10.45 an hour. Because this is higher than the federal minimum wage of $7.25, employees in The Buckeye State must be paid at least $10.45 an hour.
Lucas County Minimum Wage
The minimum wage in Lucas County is $10.45, the state minimum wage. Ohio law prohibits city and county governments from adopting a local minimum wage that's higher than the state minimum wage.
Check Ohio Department of Commerce to find out more.
3. You are entitled to certain payments when your employment ends.
Your final paycheck must include certain amounts, regardless of whether you resigned, were laid off, or were fired. Find out whether your former employer met Ohio’s final paycheck requirements. If you leave your job for any reason in Ohio, whether by your own choice or your employer's action, your employer must pay your final paycheck by the first of the month (for compensation you earned in the first half of the previous month) or by the 15th of the month (for compensation you earned in the second half of the previous month).