The Johnson County Board of Supervisors has voted to increase the county’s recommended minimum wage by 69 cents to $12.25 per hour, effective July 1.
The board used Consumer Price Index data to set the increase, which is based on inflation, according to a news release.
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. The board has voted to increase the minimum wage in Johnson County several times since 2015, most recently in 2022, when it was raised to $11.56 per hour.
The state of Iowa’s minimum wage was increased to $7.25 per hour in 2008, ahead of the federal increase to $7.25 in 2009, but has remained at $7.25 and is not indexed for inflation.
On Sept. 10, 2015, the board of supervisors passed an ordinance establishing a Johnson County minimum wage. According to that ordinance, the recommended wage in Johnson County was raised in three steps – to $8.20 per hour on Nov. 1, 2015, to $9.15 per hour on May 1, 2016, and to $10.10 per hour on Jan. 1, 2017.
On March 30, 2017, then-Iowa Governor Terry Branstad signed legislation eliminating the ability of jurisdictions within the state of Iowa to set a minimum wage above the state minimum wage. Johnson County had a higher minimum wage than the state for 17 months, including three months when it was $10.10 per hour.
More information on the minimum wage ordinance is available at www.johnsoncountyiowa.gov/wage.
