In-Depth: Does Ohio need to work toward raising its minimum wage to $15 an hour? In-Depth: Does Ohio need to raise its minimum wage to $15? and last updated 2021-04-14 07:27:03-04 CLEVELAND â Is now the time for Ohio to start working toward raising its minimum wage from $8.80 to $15 an hour? A new report from Policy Matters Ohio indicates it needs to happen over the next five years. The new 24-page report issued by Policy Matters Ohio researcher Michael Shields outlines how incrementally moving to $15-an-hour would benefit nearly 1.6 million Ohioans, and would inject $4.9 billion in annual earnings into Ohio. âIf the policy also extended equal treatment to tipped workers, whose employers are allowed to pay them just half the minimum wage at $4.40, then the benefits raise by another 1.2 billion, to 6.1 billion in benefits for Ohio," Shields said.