Work has a special place in Catholic social thought: work is more than just a job; it is a reflection of our human dignity, and a way to contribute to the common good. Most importantly, it is the ordinary way people meet their material needs and community obligations.
In Catholic teaching, the principle of a living wage is integral to our understanding of human work. Wages must be adequate for workers to provide for themselves and their families in dignity. Although the minimum wage is not a living wage, the Catholic bishops have supported increasing the minimum wage over the decades. The minimum wage needs to be raised to help restore its purchasing power, not just for the goods and services one can buy but for the self-esteem and self-worth it affords the worker.
Ohio Law
In November 2006, Ohio voters passed Issue 2: The Minimum Wage Constitutional Amendment
It raises the Ohio minimum wage to $6.85 an hour by 2007 for most workers with annual cost-of-living-adjustments thereafter.
It requires public and private employers to make available employee wage and certain personnel information to an employee or person acting on behalf of an employee.
It imposes new record-keeping requirements on all employers.
Federal Law
On May 25, 2007, President Bush signed into law the first increase in minimum wage in over a decade.
The Iraq war spending bill included an amendment increasing the federal minimum wage from $5.15 to $7.25 per hour in three steps over a two year period. The first wage increase of $.70 comes 60 days after enactment, increasing the minimum wage to $5.85 hourly. One year later, the minimum hourly wage will increase to $6.55 per hour and the final increase to $7.25 per hour a year after that (2 years after enactment).
Educational Resources
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