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  • Ohio business owners – get ready! Ohio’s minimum wage is set to increase on January 1st, 2024, to $10.45 per hour for non-tipped employees and $5.25 per hour for tipped employees. The new minimum wage will apply to employees of businesses with annual gross receipts of more than $385,000 per year. Currently, the minimum wage is $10.10 per hour for non-tipped employees and $5.05 per hour for tipped employees. In addition, the 2023 Ohio minimum wage applies to employees of businesses with annual gross receipts of more than $372,000.

    History Of Minimum Wage

    The Constitutional Amendment passed by Ohio voters in November 2006 states that Ohio’s minimum wage must increase on January 1st each year based on the inflation rate. To determine this, the state minimum wage is tied to the Consumer Price Index (CPI-W) for urban wage earners and clerical workers over the 12-month period before September. This index increased by 3.7% from September 1st, 2022, to August 31st, 2023.

    What This Means For Small Business Owners

    As a small business owner, this change, which is rather small in the eyes of some, may seem like a significant increase. For employees at companies with annual gross receipts of $385,000 or less per year after January 1st, 2023, and for 14 and 15-year-olds, the minimum wage in Ohio is $7.25 an hour. This wage is tied to the federal minimum wage of $7.25 an hour, which, to change, requires an act of Congress and the President’s signature.

    Employers are required to post the most recent minimum wage poster in their business. To access the 2024 minimum wage poster, click here.

    Leverage PEO Expertise

    In the face of Ohio’s minimum wage increase in 2024, business owners find themselves at a crucial stage, seeking different ways to navigate these changes seamlessly. Have you ever heard of a professional employer organization (PEO)? A PEO gives business owners access to expertise in managing HR functions, payroll, compliance, and benefits. PEOs offer tailored solutions, from optimizing employee benefits to streamlining payroll processes, enabling businesses to adapt effectively to the new wage standards.

    Embracing the assistance of a PEO could be the key for Ohio businesses to not only weather the minimum wage increase but also to foster growth, stability, and success in the years to come. Fortunately, Group Management Services (GMS) is headquartered in Richfield, Ohio, ready to step in and help all business owners in Ohio navigate this wage increase. Get a quote from us today to kickstart your business in 2024.

  • A bill amending workers’ compensation benefit requirements for employees who sustain an injury while working from home goes into effect on September 23rd. House Bill 447 states that an employee who works from home and is injured is compensable under Ohio’s workers’ compensation system only if:

    • The injury arises out of the employee’s employment
    • Was caused by a special hazard of the employee’s employment activity
    • It is sustained during an activity undertaken by the employee for the exclusive benefit of the employer

    The bill restricts the definition of injury for employees who work from home. Previously, if a remote worker was injured, it was compensable if sustained during and arising out of their employment. The bill is meant to codify the limitations of work-from-home injury claims, says Philip Fulton, a Columbus-based injured workers attorney.

    Lower Your Risk Of Workers’ Compensation Claims 

    GMS helps you lower your risk of workers’ compensation claims. By helping you reduce the risk of accidents and potential claims, you receive a much lower rate than what the Bureau will offer. Should an injury happen to an employee while working from home, GMS will make the overall claim determination and will cover all medical and compensation costs. Learn more by contacting us today.

  • For small-or medium-sized businesses, worker’s compensation can be extremely costly. You invest a lot of the time, money and resources into claims management to ensure your business stays compliant and your workers are protected. With your limited resources, there are steps you can take to minimize your risks and reduce your worker’s compensation costs.

    1. Early return to work: Offer part time or alternative work options to get your employee back to work as soon as possible. The longer your worker is absent, the longer the insurance company has to pay his or her benefits which can increase the cost of your premiums.
    2. Education: Ensure your employees know how to operate all equipment and practice safe working habits around all machinery. Conduct random checks to keep employees fresh on operational protocol and establish an open-door policy for questions and concerns.
    3. Injury response: In the case of an accident, make sure you and your employees are aware of the company procedures to follow when responding to an injury. Injured workers should know where to receive medical care, procedures for referral to specialists, transitional duty requirements, how to receive pay and other important details regarding their case.
    4. Classify job descriptions correctly: While this appears trivial, classification of job titles and descriptions can impact your workers’ comp premiums. Some classifications carry more risk, which will increase your premiums. Make sure you have the most up-to-date classification code book in your state and research the best ways to classify your employees’ title.
    5. Hire with safety in mind: As you interview candidates for a position, try to eliminate those who may pose a safety risk. GMS can help with recruiting and training workers who best fit into your company’s culture and who will be able to perform in-line with your safety guidelines.
    6. Conduct safety audits: The workplace safety experts at GMS can help you perform safety audits, create safety manuals and rule books to foster an environment where safety is always a top priority.

    Many employers look at workers’ compensation as an uncontrollable expense. But with the right mindset – and some help from a PEO like GMS – you can stop looking at it this way and start taking a more proactive approach managing your workers’ comp costs.

    Want to learn more? Let’s get in touch.