Ohio's minimum wage will jump to $7.30 an hour -- and $3.65 an hour for tipped employees -- on Jan. 1, the Ohio Department of Commerce announced yesterday.

The current wage rates in effect through the end of this year are $7 an hour, and $3.50 an hour for tipped employees, plus tips.

The increase stems from an amendment to the Ohio Constitution approved by voters in November 2006.

It requires the state minimum wage to rise on Jan. 1 each year in line with a rise in inflation measured by the Consumer Price Index.

The index went up 4.6 percent in the year that ended Aug. 31, the Commerce Department said.

Other changes will be triggered, too, although they will not kick in until July 24.

At that time, the minimum wage for 14- and 15-year-olds, as well as for employees working at companies with gross earnings of at least $267,000 annually (up from the current $255,000), will increase to $7.25 an hour from $6.55.

Details about the minimum-wage law are available at www.com.ohio.gov/

laws/docs/laws_

2009MinimumWage.pdf.

ajohnson@dispatch.com