Living Wage
The Cincinnati Municipal Code ordains a "living wage" for full-time City employees or for full and part-time employees of contractors and subcontractors providing or delivering services to the City of Cincinnati.
The living wage requirement applies only to service contracts with the City, defined as contracts let to a contractor by the City for the furnishing of services to or for the City that involves an expenditure equal to or greater than $20,000 (except contracts where services are incidental to the delivery of products, equipment or commodities).
Grants or other types of financial assistance provided to persons contractually or through various City development programs which do not involve the furnishing of services to or for the City are not considered service contracts.
Similarly, grants or other types of financial assistance provided to charitable or social service agencies contractually or through various City programs are not considered service contracts.
The living wage ordinance requires the City and every covered employer to pay covered employees a living wage. The amount of the living wage shall be adjusted upward annually, no later than April 30th, by a percentage equal to the percentage increase (if any) in the federal poverty guidelines published by the United States Department of Health and Human Services or by the percentage increase in the Consumer Price Index, depending on the effective date of the contract. For more specific information, please see the FAQ link below
The Department of Economic Inclusion shall annually advise departments and contractors of any adjustment in the living wage no later than April 1 of each calendar year.
Annual Living Wage Update Memos
Please call the Department of Economic Inclusion at 513-352-3144 if you have questions about this information.