The Johnson County Board of Supervisors has approved an increase to the county’s recommended minimum wage, raising it to $13.02 per hour starting July 1, 2025. The adjustment follows Consumer Price Index data to reflect inflation.
“Though the wage increase is symbolic in nature and unenforceable under state law, the supervisors approved the increase to remain in line with the board’s vote in September 2015 to begin phased increases,” a release stated. Since that initial vote, supervisors have consistently supported annual increases, it added.
Iowa’s minimum wage has remained at $7.25 per hour since 2008, when the state raised it ahead of the federal increase to the same rate in 2009. Unlike some states, Iowa does not tie its minimum wage to inflation
On Sept. 10, 2015, the Johnson County Board of Supervisors passed an ordinance establishing a Johnson County minimum wage. According to that ordinance, the minimum wage in Johnson County was raised incrementally over 14 months until it reached $10.10 per hour on Jan. 1, 2017.
However, in March 2017, Governor Terry Branstad signed a law prohibiting local governments from setting minimum wages higher than the state’s. Before that legislation took effect, Johnson County had maintained a higher minimum wage than the state for 17 months, including three months at $10.10 per hour.
More information on the minimum wage ordinance is available at www.johnsoncountyiowa.gov/wage.
