Labor Law
The Division of Commerce's Bureau of Wage & Hour Administration administers and enforces Ohio's Minimum Wage Laws (Ohio Revised Code 4111), Ohio's Minor Labor Law (ORC 4109) and Ohio's Prevailing Wage Law (ORC 4115).
Common Questions
View more labor law frequently asked questions as well as more answers to common questions.
- Can my employer make me work 7 days a week without a day off?
- Can uniforms, tools, drug testing, be deducted from an employees pay?
- Do I have to be paid for "on-call" time?
- How do a make a minimum wage / unpaid wages complaint?
- How do I get a work permit if I'm homeschooled?
- How do I report business for wage theft or withholding tips?
- How often should I be paid per month?
- I didn't get my raise. Is this legal?
- I was not paid my normal hourly rate, only minimum wage. Is this legal?
- Is it legal to be paid in cash or are pay stubs required?
- Is my employer required to pay me for holidays?
- My employer hasn't paid me. What can I do?
- What do I do if I don't get a break at work?
- What happens if I file a minimum wage complaint against my employer?
- What if my employer deducts my lunch break but I never take one?
- What is the minimum wage?
The State of Ohio has no laws pertaining to the amount of hours or days worked in a week. We only require that you are paid at least minimum wage for all hours worked and that you received 1½ for all hours worked over 40 hours in a week.
Yes, as long as the deduction does not take the employee below minimum wage for the hours worked in the week.
An employee who is required to remain on call on the employer's premises is working while "on call." An employee who is required to remain on call at home, or who is allowed to leave a message where he/she can be reached, is not working (in most cases) while on call.
Additional constraints on the employee's freedom could require this time to be compensated.
To file a minimum wage/unpaid wages complaint, carefully read and complete the minimum wage complaint form and mail to:
Ohio Department of Commerce
Division of Industrial Compliance
Bureau of Wage & Hour Administration
6606 Tussing Road
P.O. Box 4009
Reynoldsburg, OH 43068-9009
If a minor is homeschooled and wishes to obtain a work permit, the child's parent or guardian can fill out the Application for Minor Work Permit and have it signed by the school district within which the child resides.
To report a business for wage theft, carefully read and complete the minimum wage complaint form and mail to:
Ohio Department of Commerce
Division of Industrial Compliance
Bureau of Wage & Hour Administration
6606 Tussing Road
P.O. Box 4009
Reynoldsburg, OH 43068-9009
Per Section 4113.15 of the Ohio Revised Code, an employer must pay employees at least twice per month.
Example: All hours worked from the 1st to the 15th of month must be paid by the 1st of the following month. All hours worked from the 16th to the end of the month must be paid by the 15th of the following month.
The Bureau of Wage & Hour Adminstration does not have the authority to enforce raises. You will need to pursue this matter privately.
Yes, the State of Ohio only requires that minimum wage be paid for all hours worked.
Payment in cash is permitted as long as all proper taxes have been withheld.
Paystubs aren't required but the employer shall make and keep for a period of not less than three years a record of the name, address, and occupation of each of the employer's employees, the rate of pay and the amount paid each pay period to each employee, the hours worked each day and each work week by the employee.
No, the State of Ohio has no requirements for the payment of holiday, vacation, or sick time.
Carefully read and complete the minimum wage complaint form and mail to:
Ohio Department of Commerce
Division of Industrial Compliance
Bureau of Wage & Hour Administration
6606 Tussing Road
P.O. Box 4009
Reynoldsburg, OH 43068-9009
The State of Ohio does not have any laws involving the requirement of breaks and or meal periods. Breaks are a mutually agreed upon arrangement between the employer and employee.
Per Ohio Law, if you are a present employee at the time of your claim, your employer may not terminate your employment because you have filed a complaint.
Your complaint will be reviewed by the Bureau of Wage & Hour Administration, and if accepted, it will be assigned out to an investigator. If it's rejected, you will receive notice from the office letting you know that's it's been rejected.
It is only a violation if that deduction takes you below minimum wage for the week or it's done to avoid paying overtime after 40 hours.
The current minimum wage is $8.70 an hour and $4.35 an hour for tipped employees. For tipped employees, the $4.35hr plus the total amount of tips received in the week must equal at least $8.70 an hour for all hours worked.
Labor Law Resources
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