Edited release
07/02/24
The Johnson County Board of Supervisors has increased the County’s recommended minimum wage to $12.64 per hour, effective this month.
In March of 2024, Supervisors voted to increase the County’s recommended minimum wage using the Consumer Price Index data to set the increase, which is based on inflation.
Though the wage increase is symbolic in nature and unenforceable under State law, the Supervisors approved the increase to remain in line with their vote in September 2015 to begin phased increases.
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.
The September 2015 ordinance raised the minimum wage in Johnson County to $8.20 per hour on Nov. 1st, to $9.15 per hour on May 1, 2016, and to $10.10 per hour on Jan. 1, 2017.
The ordinance was declared illegal on March 30, 2017, when then-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.